Ounce of Patience
by Jenmeister
Summary: Sam is exhausted and Dean is angry, but there's no time for vacationing when a fellow hunter calls for backup in Chadron, Nebraska. The girl, the brother, and the hunt...Dean will have to find a balance if he wants to save them. - Sequel to 'Measure of Trust' - Chapter 13 Posted - COMPLETE
1. Ch 1 - No Rest For The Weary

**Ounce Of Patience**

 **Chapter 1 - No Rest for the Weary**

Dean sat staring out the dingy window, feet propped on the old motel air conditioning unit that was momentarily silent. The fading light glistened across the waves as the sun slowly slipped below the watery horizon. Sam had finally talked him into a vacation that wasn't Vegas. Despite the verbal sparring, Dean knew that Sam was tired, they both were, and needed the break, but Dean had not wanted anywhere quiet. He had kept them busy with an endless string of hunts for over six months. He wanted the noise, endless noise. He didn't want to face the silence.

Now he sat. He sat in the silence. To an innocent bystander he looks like a man in deep contemplation, maybe solving the great mysteries of the universe. To Sam he looks as if the weight of the world sits on his shoulders from the endless loss and turmoil that plagues their lives. But inside him there is a struggle. A struggle to continue the pursuit of his mission and purposefully reject his own desires. He looks down at the phone in his hand again. Even he isn't sure why he continues to look at the pale blue screen with the digital clock that only shows the moments of his life ticking away.

He placed the phone on the table with a sigh and retrieved the plastic cup with a dash of whiskey still in the bottom. He tossed it back and moved to stand.

Sam closed the book in his hands and placed it on the nightstand. With a stretch he looked out the window and then at Dean, "Ready to find some dinner?"

"Sure."

Before Sam could make a suggestion about the seafood place down the road, Dean's phone lit up and the sounds of AC/DC echoed through the sparsely furnished room. He had been a man of few words over recent months and when he had spoken it was typically curt, harsh, or sarcastic. His phone greeting reflected just that, "Yeah. … When? … Okay. … Any idea what it could be? … Fine. … Be there tomorrow."

"What's going on?" Sam queried as he turned to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Not sure. That was Jared Thompson. He's got a situation in Chadron, Nebraska. Strange crap, people missing, et cetera."

With a sigh Sam stood and reached for his duffle, "Well, two days at the beach a vacation makes."

Dean rolled his eyes, set the empty cup down and grabbed his worn blue carhartt jacket.

::::::

The lights flickered down the corridor causing the hunter instincts to peak. The stocky figure walked lithely into the adjoining room with a silver knife and a revolver both at the ready. His shoes squeaked on the slick white tiles temporarily distracting him from the drip, drip, drip of water. To the left were rows of glass cases and to the right was a wall covered in brown furs protruding and dangling at odd angles. Lights crackled as he took another tentative step and stopped to listen more intently. He looked right then he looked left. He raised the gun a bit higher as the hairs on his neck stood on end at the energy in the room. Cautiously he moved to take another step. An arm encircled his neck and a sticky hand landed on the side of his face. Before he could raise the blade or the revolver to do damage to his assailant, his head made a sharp turn to the right and he heard a loud crack within his own head. His field of vision blasted white. He felt fire shoot through his neck, down his spine, into his arms and legs, then into each fingertip and each toe. The burn was followed by numbness that followed the same path as the fire. The world turned dark and eagerly he fell into the open arms of death.

::::::

Dean tapped an impatient finger on the wrinkled black fabric of his pant leg. Sam had begun a conversation with the sheriff of Chadron, Nebraska nearly ten minutes before and at this moment they were no closer to solving the case than when they walked through the front door. The sheriff knew nothing, the deputy knew nothing, and they officially knew nothing. Sam's smooth professional voice cut through Dean's annoyed train of thought, "Please let us know if you hear anything else."

"I certainly will. We're glad you federal types are here. We can sure use the backup on this one. The city is trying to keep a lid on all these missing persons cases cause it'll kill tourism if it gets out...if you'll pardon the expression."

"Yes, sir. We understand." Sam replied with a nod.

Dean cut in with the first words he'd spoken since showing his badge, "And please let us know if you hear from the other agent. We were supposed to meet up with him last night and haven't heard from him."

"Will do. He probably just doesn't have any cell service. It's real sketchy around here."

Sam handed over a business card, "Thanks again."

They shook hands and parted company. Dean lead the way out of the building and down Main Street towards city hall where he had parked the Impala. "Well, that was pointless."

Sam ignored the anger in his brother's voice and dialed the number for Jared Thompson once more. Sam had edged around the subject of his older brother's anger and exceptionally bad attitude for months until recently when Dean chewed him out for something so minor that he didn't even remember doing it. "What the hell is with you, man!? I've kept my mouth shut because I know sometimes the shit of this job just catches up with us, but you've been a royal pain in the ass, Dean." That conversation had lead to an all out yelling match, but ultimately resulted in a much needed, albeit short, vacation.

"Nothing. Just keeps going to voicemail." Sam was losing hope for their fellow hunter.

Dean didn't say a word as they strode purposefully down the sidewalk. The sun was warming the morning sky, but the air was still cool with the fading of spring. Locals were opening their shops and a few tourists were meandering through the town. The smell of freshly brewed coffee from the nearby Daily Grind Shoppe had Dean's mind tripping back to moments of seven months ago and a beautiful brown curly headed woman with mesmerizing blue eyes and her obsession with coffee. He glanced around at the scenery and allowed himself to think of her and how much she would enjoy the small town. He had met her because of a cursed ring, and although the ring only tied their minds together for a week they had shared a lifetime of memories and thoughts. Breaking the bond that held them together had been one of the most difficult decisions he had ever made. Since he drove away seven months, six days, and three hours ago he hadn't seen nor spoken to her, but not a day and nearly an hour would pass without a thought of her.

"How about coffee?"

Dean couldn't help that Sam's request made him angry. Everything that reminded him of her made him angry. However, he intentionally stopped himself from barking out a smart remark in hopes of easing his younger brother's frustration with him and thereby making him stop asking the age old questions, "Do you wanna talk about it?" Or "What's up with you, Dean?". So, he nodded and the two black suit clad brothers altered their course and headed for the coffee shop.

::::::

Faith adjusted the purple wire framed glasses perched on her nose and punched a few more keys on the laptop keyboard before sitting back to peruse her latest entry. She took a small sip of the classic mocha latte testing the temperature and then set the cup back down on the little table beside her as she continued to focus on the information on the screen. It was a chore to focus at all and Faith intentionally doubled down closer to the screen forcing herself to ignore the world around her. The smallest thing could be the biggest distraction whereas before he came along she could focus and conquer any task. Dean Winchester had tapped on her front door seven months, thirteen days, and about thirty minutes ago and turned her entire world on it's end. Not a day and hardly an hour passed without something reminding her of him, his smile, his voice, his eyes, his taste in music, his sense of humor... She knew it had been the right decision to let him go, but even now it physically hurt as she recalled one of his memories of looking over Sam's shoulder at a laptop. With a deep steadying breath Faith leaned back in her seat and pulled the glasses from her face. On occasion she would give in and allow herself a moment to think of him.

The dinging of the bell over the bright red front door was sufficient to pull her from staring blankly at her computer screen. She glanced over her shoulder to see who the new patrons might be and nearly dropped her laptop as two black suit clad figures strode through the door and toward the counter. Her heart thundered in her chest and her breath caught in her throat as she watched Dean's gaze sweep around the room and fall on her.

::::::

Sam began to place their usual order and Dean, staying true to his hunter instincts, scanned the room for a second time to get a better look at the occupants. His gaze swept through the small shop assessing each individual until he came to the cluster of arm chairs in a corner closest to the counter. There she sat in denim and black tucked in a small floral print chair with her feet propped on a non matching bright orange footrest. Her curly locks hung loosely around her face highlighting those dusty blue eyes he saw nearly every night in his dreams. His voice left him and his motor functions refused to respond. He couldn't hear Sam questioning him about his order over the pounding of his heart.

::::::

Sam was the first to move. He had tracked Dean's gaze and spotted Faith in the corner of the room. Without a moment of hesitation he took long strides covering the distance quickly. Faith popped up from her chair and dropped the laptop on the seat behind her just as he reached her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed her eyes shut listening to the steady voice echoing in his chest.

"Faith, it's so good to see you. We've missed you!" Pulling her away he looked down into her face. "How have you been?"

She heaved a sigh and released her hold, "Fine. Busy. How about you guys?"

Dean's shoes echoed on the tile floor and became silent as he stopped on the carpet beside Sam. Faith ventured a look in his direction and found him staring with what she interpreted as a mix of unbridled shock and an attempt at playing it cool. A smile played at the corner of her lips and before she could filter each word she said, "Well, you better get yourself over here and give me a hug."

Dean registered her request with a small smile of his own and reached to meet her outstretched arms. Pulling her in close he took a deep breath and released it slowly as the fear, anxiety, and anger from the last seven months, six days, and three hours momentarily melted away.

* * *

Disclaimer & Writer's Notes: I do not own Supernatural or any of it's characters. Faith, on the other hand, is all mine.

This is a sequel to "Measure of Trust". I've attempted to write it as a stand alone as much as possible, but there may be things that just don't make sense without reading the other.

Thank you so much for reading! I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!

xoxo, Jen


	2. Ch 2 - Options

**Chapter 2 - Options**

The barista called for Sam and Dean's order which Sam turned promptly to retrieve leaving Faith still tucked in the comfort of Dean's arms. She had missed him more than she could express with words. So, she just held him tight reveling in the security of his embrace.

The tightness in Dean's chest released as he felt her arms pull him tighter. He placed a hand on the back of her head and kissed the jasmine scented curls. They both slowly pulled away but he kept his hands on her arms unwilling to break their physical connection.

"How have you been?" Dean asked.

"Good." Faith lied, her voice sounding breathless even to her own ears. "And you?"

Dean lied in return, "Same." and he knew he wasn't convincing. "What are you doing here?"

"Work." She replied just as Sam returned with two steaming cups of coffee. The three took up residence in the cluster of armchairs.

"So, what brings you to Chadron?" Sam asked.

"Work." She took a sip of her coffee in an attempt to regain her composure. "I'm researching the area for a possible movie shoot."

"Really? Wow!"

"Yeah, the company's really taken off in the last six months or so. The work up I did for the art museum project went well and the videos were picked up by Travel Channel. It was the break we needed to start diving into a much larger market. This is for a smaller film, but it's a great start."

"That's great. Congratulations."

"Thank you!" She beamed with pride. She had doubled her efforts at Bender and Company Media Consulting and Production over the last few months in an effort to stay busy and avoid the quiet and loneliness of home. So, she would work and travel and stay busy trying to distract herself from thoughts and memories of the man that now sat less than three feet away. "What about you two? What's wrong in the quiet town of Chadron?"

Dean leaned forward a bit and spoke quietly, "Jared Thompson called and said there was a case. People missing, no bodies. But we got in yesterday and we still haven't been able to find Jared."

"That's not good." Faith said in all seriousness. Knowing their line of work and retaining most of Dean's memories pushed her heart rate up a notch. "Any leads?"

"None" Dean said as he leaned back in his seat.

Sam chimed in, "The last victim taken before Jared was at the Fur Trade Museum. At least that's what the sheriff thinks."

"I'm actually headed there in just a few minutes for a tour."

Dean went into protective mode, "You need to steer clear of that place until we figure this thing out. In fact, you might want to leave town."

Faith's eyebrows shot up and she intentionally made her tone a bit lighter, "Or you could just go with me. I'll get you the private tour. All the behind the scenes stuff, too." She gave him her best heart-melting smile and saw the set lines of his face shift into a small smile as he begrudgingly agreed.

::::::

Faith had introduced the brothers as her associates and the gullible museum curator had easily accepted her explanation. They strolled through the premises at a leisurely pace allowing Faith to jot down notes for her work and Sam and Dean to look for clues to the disappearances. The curator, that introduced himself as Tom Herndon, was a tall lanky middle-aged man with a wiry greying mustache and was very enthusiastic about explaining each antique tool, historical figure, and preserved fur. Each time Faith or Sam would ask a question his bushy eyebrows would shoot up with delight and immediately he would dive into a detailed historical account.

As they circled into the last room he changed his enthusiastic banter into a more serious tone, "And this is the room that the ghost of ol' Gregory Warner has been spotted." Dean had been watching the gentle sway of Faith's denim clad hips as she took each step into the room, but at the mention of a ghost he glanced around to see a room lined with glass display cases on the left and a fur covered wall on the right. "He was one of the last fur traders in this region. Legend says that he accidentally caught a man in one of his traps and was so drunk that he took the man back to his cabin and skinned him alive. When he woke up the next morning and realized what he'd done, he killed himself." He looked at the trio expecting a reaction and was sorely disappointed when they simply continued to look around the room. Wrapping up his typically impressive story he gestured to one of the glass cases, "And these were ol' Warner's traps."

Sam and Dean stepped toward the case to examine the artifacts while Faith took an uneasy step back allowing the brothers space to work. She looked down to her notebook and glanced past her pad of paper to the floor. "Dean."

The serious no-nonsense note in her voice caused him to turn and step towards her immediately. He followed her gaze to the floor and spotted the single drop of blood and evenly spaced scuff marks that lead directly into the wall and ended abruptly. The twin black smudged trails looked like someone had been dragged. Faith looked at Dean and although they could no longer read one another's thoughts, they both knew exactly what the other was thinking.

"That doesn't make sense." Faith said.

Dean began moving furs away from the wall in search of an opening. "Maybe there's a door."

Sam assessed the situation and joined the search.

"What're you looking for?" The curator asked with a mix of indignance and curiosity.

Sam and Dean ignored him so Faith responded, "Have you seen these scuff marks before?"

"No ma'am. I keep this place in tip top shape. I wasn't in yesterday, but I know for a fact they wasn't here the day before." Mr. Herndon answered with confidence. "Might've been ol' Gregory!" He said in an instance of inspiration.

Faith was definitely not thrilled at the prospects of a haunting, but at least it might be an explanation for the disappearances. She looked back to where Sam and Dean had just been searching and saw only a faint stream of light dancing on the floor from between the furs.

::::::

Dean looked down at the concrete patio and back at the small door he and Sam had just come through. The scuff marks had lead directly to the exit, but there were no more clues outside.

Sam looked past the patio and was taken aback by the absolute serenity of the view. A few feet away a narrow river bubbled and gurgled and in the distance the landscape rose and fell with peaks and valleys. The fresh air filled his lungs like a purification of his soul. "This place is beautiful. Maybe we can wrap this case and finish up that vacation."

Dean followed his gaze and couldn't help but agree. "Yeah, but we gotta figure out who Houdini is first."

::::::

"I think our best option is to start with the ghost." Sam said.

"And I think curator 'Bob'..."

"It's Tom." Faith interjected.

"Tom" Dean corrected, "is full of crap."

"Better to be safe than sorry." Faith said with precision as they continued through the parking lot.

"I need to do some research." Sam stated.

Faith paused mid stride and both men turned to face her. "Where are you staying...and please don't tell me it's that dilapidated flea trap just outside of town."

"It's got more of a rustic charm." Dean said with mock sincerity.

Faith rolled her eyes dramatically, "Go get your stuff, check it for bugs, and then come stay at my cabin in the state park."

A small argument ensued, but eventually they relented and planned to meet her there later in the afternoon.

::::::

Footsteps pounded methodically on the pavement as the runner continued her steady pace down the shaded trail. Her headphones played a melody blocking out the sounds of the forest around her. She didn't hear the steady crunch of leaves keeping pace with her. She didn't hear the labored breathing grow closer and closer. She didn't hear the splashes of water hitting the pavement. She didn't hear the footfalls directly behind each step she took. She didn't hear her own screaming as a hand wrapped around her mouth and a strong arm across her middle. She didn't hear the struggle as she fought against her captor. She didn't hear the crunch of leaves and snapping of branches as she was dragged into the dense growth.

::::::

"This is a bad idea. We're putting her in danger." Dean said with conviction as Sam knocked on the door of the log cabin.

"What's worse: leaving her out here by herself when we know there's something going on or staying in the same house with her so we can protect her."

Dean knew he was right, but when the excuses boiled down and all that remained was the truth Dean was afraid to be alone with her. He didn't trust himself to continue to push aside the desires he had for her when she was just a few feet away.

Faith pulled open the front door destroying Dean's train of thought with a single word, "Hi."

"Hi." Dean's voice was husky as he drank in her beauty. He knew she didn't feel that way about herself at 5'6, uncontrollable curly brown hair, a quirky sense of humor, and a few cracks in her history. To him she was gorgeous, endearingly funny, and extremely smart. He felt she was the bright light shining in the midst of his darkness making her seem like everything he was not.

"Come in." She stepped back through the entry hallway and lead them through the polished hardwood covered living room/kitchen area. "The bedrooms are upstairs." She pointed to the nearby staircase that looked to be carved from a single tree.

"This place is incredible!" Sam said with awe as he noted the dark leather furniture, stone fireplace, and expansive back deck out the huge glass doors.

"Probably just a step up from the bed bug inn." Faith said with a smirk as she referenced back to one of the first motels they had attempted to stay after she met them.

"Just a step." Dean said with a laugh.

"Well, it's a far cry from my small house. Perks of traveling for Bender and Co." She shrugged. "I'm going to fix up something for dinner. You guys get settled in."

"Thanks again." Sam said as he moved toward the staircase.

"My pleasure." She answered genuinely with a smile. "I'm really glad to see you both."

::::::

She had them recalling every detail from their last seven months of hunting over dinner. It was again obvious that neither of them had tasted a decent meal in quite some time as they savored each bite. "It's only pork chops!" she had said when they both reacted as if they were having a filet mignon. Over dessert, which was store bought pie and ice cream, Sam and Dean had her recounting business trips, funny stories of her niece, and the small surprise birthday party her best friend had thrown her just the week before. With cups of Irish coffee they moved to the living room where the conversation continued to flow easily until well after dark.

"Alright Sammy," Dean said after checking his watch, "We need to get moving if we're going on a ghost hunt."

"Faith, you outdid yourself."

"Well, thank ya." She said with an extra kick to her mild southern drawl. She took their cups and watched as they retreated for the door. The entire evening had been far more relaxing than she had expected and she was thankful. She had no idea what to expect from Dean, but it seemed that they may be able to settle into an easy friendship after all. Her heart wanted more, but her head knew it would never work. "Seriously now, ya'll be careful."

"Careful is my middle name." Dean said over his shoulder.

* * *

 _Disclaimer & Writers Notes: _I do not own Supernatural or any of it's characters. Faith, on the other hand, is all mine.

Well, now that you're in to chapter two I'm going to open up a bit about this story. It is complete and I think it turned out pretty well. For me, though, I just liked the first one in this series so very much, I don't know that I'll ever feel I can top that. I finished this story a month and a half ago, but the ending just wasn't right until last week when it came to me in the middle of the night! Love when that happens!

Just an interesting fun fact...the shops, restaurants, museums, churches, geographic locations, etc. are all real places! The details are all altered to fit my mental reality, but I try to mirror what I find in my research as much as possible.

That's it for now. I'll get you a new chapter soon. Hope you are having a great week! I wholeheartedly appreciate you taking time to read! Means a lot to me! Special shout out to Beachwishen for getting excited with me on this one!

xoxo, Jen


	3. Ch 3 - Beer and Friendship Maybe

**Chapter 3 - Beer and Friendship...Maybe**

With a flashlight in one hand and his trusted sawed off shotgun in the other, Dean pushed through the hidden back door that he and Sam had intentionally left unlocked earlier in the day. Stepping through the furs he swung the beam across the glass cases opposite their secret entrance with Sam following close behind. Sam pulled out the EMF meter, flipped the switch on, and began to methodically scan the room. Dean moved purposefully towards the case housing the Gregory Warner artifacts and scanned them with the light attempting to see if there were any changes from earlier in the day.

"I got nothing." Sam said in a low voice.

They scanned the remainder of the building and found no trace of ghostly EMF or cold spots. Dean turned to Sam as they stepped back through the hidden door and onto the cement patio, "I told you that guy was full of it. Something or someone got Jared and dragged him out this way." Dean panned his light up and down the river bank looking for clues and found none.

::::::

"I'm going to widen the search area. Maybe one of the nearby towns…" Sam continued to strategize, but Dean's thoughts were just down the highway in a cabin at Chadron State Park. Neither Faith nor Sam seemed to notice the way he had purposefully maintained his distance from her. In fact, she seemed to be completely okay with not being near him. For the third time that day he distinctly wished he could still hear her thoughts.

"Dean, you hearing me?" Sam turned to face him from the passenger seat of the Impala.

"Hmm? Yeah, search nearby towns...blah blah blah...got it."

Sam took a deep breath and started in on his planned speech, "Look, I know you don't want to talk about it, but…"

"You're right. So, save it." Dean snapped.

"Just hear me out."

"No, Sam. I don't want to talk about it. We've got a job to do. Period. Great talk." And with that Sam gave up and turned to look out the window at the darkened landscape.

::::::

Faith looked over the edge of her book and watched the flames dancing in the fireplace. The nights were still very cool in this part of the country and she relished the thought of curling up in front of a fire. Instead of reading, however, she found herself waiting for the hunters to come through the door. The last ghost hunt she saw Dean on had nearly gotten him choked to death. She knew he was strong and smart and could take care of himself, but it didn't make the wait any easier. She momentarily wondered if this was something she could do on a regular basis, waiting for him to come home, and promptly pushed the thought aside knowing that it would never be the case.

The click of the door knob snapped her back to the reality that Dean was not her's to wait up for. She adjusted the glasses on her nose and picked a reasonable place on the page to begin reading and without looking over her shoulder she called out to her guests, "How'd it go?"

"False alarm." Dean said.

"Really?" She pulled the frames from her face and turned to watch Dean walk to the kitchen. Pulling his jacket off and hanging it on the back of a barstool he answered her, "That place isn't haunted. Ol' Bob…"

"Tom" Faith corrected.

"Ol' Tom is making shit up to get tourists."

Faith put down her book and blanket and headed towards the kitchen, "Want a beer?"

She glanced at Sam who stood silently behind the couch, "No. Thank you though. I'm going to head up and do a little more research."

"Okay." Faith walked directly towards him and put an arm around his waist. "Good night."

He looked down a bit surprised and said "good night" as he hugged her back.

She glanced up catching the slight surprise in his voice, "Oh, sorry. It's a thing with my family and close friends. I just…"

"No worries." He pulled her in for another hug. "Good night." He went straight up the stairs and disappeared.

"How bout that beer?"

"Sounds great." Dean said as he sat down in the over stuffed black leather armchair.

She retrieved two beers. Handing one to Dean she returned to her spot on the couch and took a small sip. Dean took a drink from the long neck brown bottle and stared into the fireplace. The silence of the room was only interrupted by the crackling of the fire and should have been the beginnings of a peaceful evening. However, Faith and Dean both felt the weight of their first moment alone in over seven months.

She was the first to break the silence, "It's been a while."

"Yeah...yeah it has." Dean glanced her way and then took another drink. His mind searched for a topic to discuss and randomly came up with, "How's the turtle?"

Faith looked at him in surprise, "Mr. Flips is doing just fine. My niece has finally discovered him and now she wants to set him free every time she comes over." She answered with a small laugh.

"Nice."

Faith shifted the topic to movies and television and the conversation began to relax and flow. Dean fetched the next round and ended up sitting on the other end of the couch with one leg stretched out towards her and the other foot on the floor. The conversation shifted again to Dean telling funny stories about Sam and their travels. Faith was laughing when she brought back two more bottles and pulled her knees up on the couch facing him. She told a few work moments that had been awkward or funny and slowly transitioned into a more serious thread about her friend and co-worker's recent loss. She related the story of the newborn that had died at only three weeks old from sids. They both stood in the kitchen with Dean reaching for the last two beers. "It was heartbreaking to stand there at the funeral and watch her just crumble. She's been really lucky, you know. Always had things really good and losing this baby has just taken its toll on her. It's been tough cause I kind of know how she's feeling and there's nothing anyone can say or do to make you feel better, you know." Dean handed her the bottle and intentionally let his hand catch hers. He remembered vividly the night Faith's ex-husband had nearly beat her to death killing the child she carried. Tears sprang into her eyes as she realized where the conversation had gone. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"I shouldn't have had that last one. I'm such a freaking lightweight." She said with a very small smile and a hitch in her voice.

Dean put the drinks down and pulled her into his embrace. She took a deep shaky breath in an attempt to stem the oncoming tide of emotions as she wrapped her arms around his middle and pressed her cheek to his chest. His chin rested against her forehead and she could hear him whispering in his husky voice, "If anybody knows, I do."

She didn't have to work up much courage to say what was on her mind, "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too."

She pulled away and looked up into those green eyes that she saw nearly every night in her dreams. "I...I should probably go to bed."

Dean cleared his throat and let her slowly pull away, "Yeah...okay..."

She took a step back regarding him for a moment before she turned to walk up the stairs. She was on the first step when he called her name.

"Faith?" Dean took two strides and was directly behind her when she turned around. His heart was pounding in sync with hers. They stood face to face, green eyes meeting blue. "I was just gonna say good night, but…" before he allowed himself a moment to think his lips were on hers, pressing, begging, pleading for more. She opened for him and threaded her fingers through his hair deepening the kiss. His arm wrapped around her waist pulling her body tight to his. Faith moaned softly into his mouth causing him to surge forward with veracious passion. Dean turned and pinned her against the wall sliding one hand to her thigh and pulling her leg up around his hip. She slid a hand under the hem of his shirt and splayed her fingers across his firm abdomen sliding them around to his hips riding her thumbs in the edge of his jeans. Dean emitted a low rumble from deep in his chest and pushed his tongue deeper into her mouth. Her hips surged forward against his as she moved closer to abandoning caution. He leaned into her without reserve and pulled his mouth away to leave a trail of kisses down her exposed neck and collarbone. Her eyes closed and head rolled back in exquisite pleasure giving him better access. His free hand slid to her chest and she pushed forward filling his hand. It was a strange awakening moment as Faith realized the path they were running down. She desperately longed to continue, but knew that once they journeyed down this road they would never be able to undo it. When this hunt was over he would leave again to pursue the next monster and she would be left with a broken heart. She didn't want to make his life more complicated with entanglements.

Dean felt her body grow still in his hands and knew her mind had gone to the place his was avoiding at all costs. He rested his forehead against the wall beside her, his chest heaving with each breath and let her leg slide down from his hip. Placing both hands on her hips he pulled back an inch and looked at the soft lines of her face. Her head was resting against the wall with her eyes closed. He waited for her to speak, but she said nothing. He knew there was an internal struggle at play, but didn't want to wait until she processed the information at hand and came up with a suitable reply.

"I can't read your mind anymore, sweetheart."

Faith's eyes slid open and she looked up at his waiting expression. "I just...I…" she took a deep breath and opted for the openness that she had once shared with him. "I want this. I want you." Green fire burned in his gaze at her words, "But I know that when this hunt is over, you'll be gone. Then we'll have more baggage to carry. It's going to break my heart to let you go already and if we do this I don't know how I'll recover. And you...you already carry so much! How guilty will you feel leaving me?"

She had nailed him to the wall with the one question. She knew him, understood him. "You won't have any reason to, but you'll beat yourself up." She quickened her pace. "And you don't need that. You've got bigger problems than worrying about me. You need to be able to focus on each hunt, each situation, each enemy, so you can make sure you win. You have to win." Her voice caught in her throat as the last words spilled out.

His gravelly voice rumbled in his chest as he pulled her close, "Faith, I wish things were different." The images of their potential life and happiness played through his mind for the millionth time since that moment they had first seen them dancing across the waters in Hathor's garden. "I'm sorry, baby."

She pulled away and looked up into his face with complete serenity, "Don't be. It's not your fault." She leaned forward and placed a slow sweet kiss on his lips. They pulled apart and rested their foreheads together. "I better go on up."

"Okay. Good night." He stepped away and left her devoid of contact.

"Good night." She retreated to her room and let the tears roll silently down her cheeks.

* * *

 _Disclaimer & Writers Notes: _I do not own or have rights to Supernatural or any of it's characters. Faith on the other hand is all mine.

Things just got a bit more interesting in this chapter!

Thanks for reading and a big shout out for the reviews! You guys are the best!

xoxo, Jen


	4. Ch 4 - Along For The Ride

**Chapter 4 - Along for the Ride**

It was a long night for Faith. When she slept her dreams were filled with Dean's memories and when she woke she replayed the conversation from a few hours before. The tortuous cycle broke at daylight and she rose with a determination to push her feelings aside and maintain a friendship with Dean, as well as Sam, for as long as they were here. She had a unique understand of their life and for now she could at least cook a meal or offer advice. If she didn't get to attached she could possibly be a help.

She set off on her morning routine, a run, shower, and breakfast. Sam and Dean trotted down the stairs to the smell of bacon and eggs.

"Faith, you are the best." Sam said as he poured a cup of coffee and looked over the contents of the stove.

"Thanks! Toast this morning instead of biscuits, though."

"Who cares." Dean chimed in. "There's bacon."

Faith chanced a look at him and smiled as they all sat down to breakfast. Sam immediately dove into the case ignoring the awkward looks between Faith and Dean. "So, I did find other reports of missing persons. There's the two we know of in Chadron, but then there's been two people over the past month reported missing at the Box Butte State Recreation Area." He cleared his throat and glanced down at his phone. "Authorities classified them as drownings, but no bodies were ever found. So, I looked back over the past three months and there are five other missing persons cases in surrounding counties."

"That's crazy! Why hasn't anyone put all this together!" Faith was truly shocked.

"They're not looking."

"Is there any pattern with the victims?" Dean asked between bites.

"Not that I can see. Only thing I noticed is the age range, 18 to 30."

"That's oddly narrow for someone or something that's not picky about anything else."

"Here's the craziest part. The one place that hasn't reported anyone missing is here."

"The park?" Dean asked. "So, every town and burgh around and nothing here?"

Sam coughed and then took a sip of coffee before answering. "Yeah, I thought we could check out the other locations and hit up the park ranger later today."

"Either this thing is really smart or really stupid."

Faith chimed in with her schedule. "I'm actually meeting with the ranger in about an hour and then heading out to ride through the south end of the park the rest of the day."

"By yourself?" Dean looked at her from the corner of his eye.

::::::

Dean held the door for Faith to lead the way into the ranger's office an hour later. The tension between them had begun to fade on the ride over as they had both stayed focused on discussing the case. A brown haired young man with brown eyes jumped up from behind his desk and rushed to meet them. He straightened his olive green shirt and pants before extending a hand, "Hey! I'm Ranger David Waters. And you must be Ms. Garron." He shook her hand with enthusiasm.

"I sure am. It's great to finally meet you in person."

"Likewise."

"Ranger Waters…"

"Please call me Dave."

"Alright. Dave, this is my associate, Dean Jones."

Dean played along and extended a hand, "Hi."

"Well, I'm glad you can join us. Let's have a seat over here by my desk and see if I can answer all of your questions."

For the next thirty minutes Faith fired a round of polite questions about locations, permits, licensing, access roads, rentals, transportation, and a laundry list of other things that Dean never realized was involved with her job. The conversation began to wind down and Dean found his opening, "So, is this area safe? We've heard about several missing persons in the surrounding areas."

The ranger looked surprised, "I haven't heard anything about that. We run a pretty tight ship around here. No one has ever gone missing from the park as far as I know."

Dean persisted, "So, you haven't seen or heard anything strange? No animal attacks or anything like that?

Ranger Dave looked a bit concerned at the morbid direction of the conversation, "No sir. Nothing like that at all."

::::::

Forty five minutes later Faith and Dean set out on horseback through the valley. Faith's mount was a younger golden palomino and Dean sat astride a brown and white painted mare. The landscape unfolded before them pristine and untouched by society. The grass grew tall spotted with blooming wildflowers, a herd of deer grazed in the edge of a stand of trees near a lake, and on either side of the valley huge buttes rose from the landscape with sheer cliffs shining with bright shades of orange, red, and yellow in the early afternoon sun.

Faith was the first to break the silence once they were out of range to be overheard, "The look on Ranger Dave's face when you asked him if he'd seen anything strange was priceless."

"I've had a lot worse reactions, that's for sure."

Faith laughed and with a little effort they settled into companionable conversation mostly relating to her work. She would pause to take a photo or jot information in her notebook spurring Dean to ask questions. He found her work very interesting and found himself more attracted to her with each animated explanation. She was passionate about her career and he admired her for it.

After an hour in the saddle Faith stepped down, "I need a break. I haven't ridden this much in a long time."

Dean followed suite and stood more bow legged than usual in an exaggerated stance, "Definitely gonna be saddle sore."

She erupted in laughter as he walked awkwardly towards her. She reached for the pack strapped behind her saddle, "How about some lunch?"

"Absolutely."

::::::

The jet ski plowed across the water making sharp zigzag motions and then sputtered to a halt. "Shit, I'm outta gas." The young man stood from his ride and waved his arms over head at a boat off in the distance. "Hey! I'm outta gas!" A distant reply echoed back across the placid lake. "Okay!" He sat back down on the plastic red seat with plans of waiting. His plans, however, were cut short when a hand reached from beneath the blue mirrored water and wrapped tightly around his ankle. "What the…" With a sharp yank he was overboard and fighting the unseen force. His hands grappled with slippery flesh gaining no traction. He kicked away and reached for the side of the jet ski. His lungs were beginning to burn as his fingertips slid onto the side of the white plastic. Before he could confirm his grip the hand wrapped around his ankle again and dragged him deeper. The air escaped his lungs as he screamed out for help. He watched the last of his life rise in a cluster of bubbles to the fading surface and dissolve into darkness.

* * *

 _Disclaimer & Writers Notes: _I do not own or have rights to Supernatural or any of it's characters. Faith on the other hand is all mine.

Thanks for sticking with me! Hope you're enjoying the random moments with strangers that have been interspersed. I read a similar technique used in a Preston & Child's book once and found it really captivating.

I'm going to do my best to post these chapters on a regular basis, but the truth is fall is my busiest season of the year. And this year we're producing five different shows instead of just the one we've done for the past two years. (One for television and four for online.) We're growing! I really do love my job!

I know this chapter was short, but I hope you enjoyed it. A lot of stuff about to start happening! So stay with me and let me know what you think!

xoxo, Jen


	5. Ch 5 - In Deep

**Chapter 5 - In Deep**

Sam stepped through the front door of the cabin to the sounds of Metallica and Dean genuinely laughing. He hadn't heard that sound in a while and it immediately brought a smile to his lips. Faith's voice echoed across all the hardwood surfaces and bounced into the foyer where Sam silently closed the door. Stepping carefully he went to the corner and ventured a look at the couple standing across the bar from one another. Dean's back was to him, but he could clearly see the relaxed lines of his shoulders as Faith continued to animatedly relate a story from a recent movie she had seen. Laughter danced in her eyes as she soaked in Dean's every reaction. They were both happy and at ease. Sam felt a pang in his heart at the thought of them being separated again, but he knew Dean would leave when the case was solved and there was nothing he could do or say to stop him. He felt a twinge of guilt for being angry with him over the last few months, but quickly pushed it away when he realized he was about to face his brother's bad attitude and sarcasm again in a few days when they left. Maybe it was selfishness, maybe it was love for his brother, maybe it was because Faith made Dean smile, maybe it was because he genuinely cared about Faith, maybe it was because he understood how they felt about one another, maybe it was because he still hoped someday they would be able to pull away from hunting, but whatever the reason he wanted them to enjoy the moments together without his interruption. He intended to wait a few minutes more before stepping around the corner, but the tickle in his throat forced him to cough.

"Oh hey, Sam! I didn't hear you come in." Faith beamed. Her cheeks were flushed from laughter.

"Just got back." He smiled as he told the white lie and neither Faith nor Dean noticed.

Dean took a sip of his beer, "Hey, any luck?"

"Not really. These people went somewhere alone and just never came back." Sam's phone rang. "This is Agent Starr...when?...so, they saw it?...okay...sure. Put out hazard signs and keep everyone away from the water...Tell him I will have his ass in federal prison if he let's people near that lake...yeah, he can call me...thanks for calling."

Dean put his beer on the counter, "Well?"

"That was one of the rangers from Box Butte. They had a guy get pulled off his jet ski today. He ran out of gas in the middle of the lake and his friends were taking some out to him, but didn't make it in time."

Faith was fully invested, "Did they see what got him?"

Sam answered with a heaving sigh, "No, but they did see him get pulled off and then put up a hell of a fight in the water."

Dean's eyebrows were knit with concern, "So, what? A lake monster."

Sam cleared his throat and turned towards him, "Maybe, but that doesn't explain the Fur Trade Museum or the ones in the nearby towns. I'm gonna grab my laptop and change out of this suit."

::::::

A few hours later, dinner dishes done, a fire lit in the fireplace, Sam sat at the table punching keys on his laptop sipping on a glass of water with Dean sitting across from him flipping through an old leather bound journal. Faith sat with her legs stretched out on the length of the couch trying to keep her eyes open while scrolling through another website about water creatures. The previous sleepless night was catching up with her in the glow and warmth of the fire. A moment later she gave in and her phone slid from her hand and onto the notepad in her lap. Dean glanced over and saw her head resting against the back of the couch. She looked soft and vulnerable in the dancing firelight. His mind went back to the moment he first met her: a cold windy day in the fall, his heart nearly stopping when she opened her front door and locked eyes with him, her voice whispering "You're real" and her hand gently resting on his cheek. He vividly recalled watching her take his beating when they had been captured by the demons. She had suffered his punishment and she stayed strong. He saw the memories from the moment her guard crumbled and she let him see the brokenness in her soul. He could still hear the conviction in her voice when she said, "You have saved the entire world. You're the real hero." She was an amazing woman...that he truly believed he could not have and did not deserve. He knew she wouldn't agree, but he also knew she was desperately trying to be a friend. She wanted to be close and to do that she couldn't be close. It was a strange contradiction that he somehow understood.

Dean pulled his attention back to the pages he had unconsciously been clenching in his hand and looked up to see Sam watching him. Before he let his little brother comment he schooled his features and asked, "Find anything?"

Sam took a deep breath and coughed. "After looking at a map it seems that whatever this thing is might be traveling through the rivers. Each disappearance coordinates with the network of waterways throughout the area."

"So, what is it?"

"Not sure. It might be a water horse of some sort."

"Like the friggin' Loch Ness monster?"

"Yeah, sort of. That's actually a Scottish kelpie. I don't see how there could be one here though. Australia has the bunyip, but there's nothing like those in the states. And I'm still not quite sure how it can stay on land long enough."

"That's not the important part...how can we kill it?"

"Silver, maybe."

"We need more than a maybe, Sam. This thing's taking people out left and right."

"There's no pattern which means there's no way to track it."

Dean ran a rough hand over his face and then checked his watch, "So, different victim types, different locations, no bodies, and no leads. Awesome."

It wasn't long after that Dean woke Faith and they all three went up for a few hours of sleep.

::::::

At 6:45am Faith turned off her alarm and threw on her blue shorts, white tank, and fitted gray pullover. A few moments later she came down the stairs to find Sam waiting in the kitchen. "What are you doing up?"

"Thought I'd run with you." Sam shrugged, cleared his throat and took another sip of water. He was wearing black shorts and a gray hoodie.

Faith went to the refrigerator and took out a narrow purple bottle of water. "Okay. Hope you can keep up." She teased gently. She knew Dean had probably told him to go for her protection, but she also knew Sam was the more health conscious of the two and would go for a run even if Dean had not asked. She slid the bottle of water into the pouch around her waist and adjusted the pullover to cover it. Silently they slipped out the front door, stretched and set out at a slow jog. The sun was just peeking through the trees as they rounded the corner leaving the road and setting a steady pace down the shaded trail that ran parallel to the river.

"So, how have you been?"

Faith glanced his way wondering if he had an ulterior meaning, "Pretty good. I stay busy."

Sam heaved a breath and ventured a more probing question, "Any after effects from the ring?"

Faith shook her head trying to decide what to say, "Well…" She gave a small laugh, "my house is really quiet."

Sam laughed followed by a cough. "Honestly, though."

"Honestly, a lot of crazy dreams and a few new decorations around the house."

"Really?"

"Well, once you know what's really out there you tend to be a bit more cautious. And since most of Dean's memories stayed intact I figured out what symbols and stuff to use…"

"Wait, so you warded your house?"

"Yeah. A few devil's traps and some angel warding. Haven't had any issues. Just...just being cautious."

"Dreams that bad?"

"Umm...well, when I dream his memories...it's kind of like watching a movie. So, I can separate them from my dreams and thoughts easily, but it just...I don't know...I just get worried for you guys sometimes. I know ya'll can't check in with everyone you help or save, so I…"

"Faith, you can call us anytime." He was huffing to get the words out.

She slowed her pace a few steps to take a sidelong glance at him as he heaved another sigh, "I know...but…"

Sam had never been linked with her mind, but he could read the expression on her face, "In fact, it would probably do you both some good."

Opting for openness, Faith slowed to a stop and let Sam catch his breath, "I don't want to be a liability, Sam. If I get close I could get one or all of us killed."

The forest was filled with the sounds of birds singing, the river gurgling, and small animals foraging. Neither one noticed the extra splashing in the shaded edge of the river bank.

It was the opening he had waited for with both of them and just as he had thought, Faith was the one who would listen. He spoke gently and honestly, "The truth is, Faith, no matter what you or Dean decide there will always be evil in the world. There will always be another demon or another monster. So, Dean will keep hunting. You're in a unique situation where you already know what's out there and what can happen. So, ultimately it's your decision to make...whether you want to live knowing him or…"

"Or not." Faith completed bluntly. She appreciated his candor, and looked up to tell him. However, her mouth fell open in shock as a tall gray muscular creature emerged from between the hedges lining the path directly behind Sam. "Look out!"

It was a moment too late when he heard the soggy footfalls and a large rock landed across the back of his head. His tall form collapsed in a heap on the sidewalk leaving Faith to fend off the attacker. She took a decisive step back bracing her weight on her right foot and pulled her hands into fists to defend herself. The beast had stood head and shoulders above Sam and now towered over her as it stepped across his still body dropping the rock at his side. She mentally kicked herself for not grabbing the 9 millimeter Smith & Wesson from her bag as she looked up at the massive figure. It's face was elongated like that of a horse but with razor sharp snarling teeth that glistened in the early morning sun. With raised claws it took another step towards her and she took another step back. Her thoughts raced and her heart pounded as she weighed her options and waited for the monster to make it's move. She couldn't reach for her phone to call Dean without leaving herself defenseless and she refused to run leaving Sam to the creature. In an instant she dropped into a squat and swung her left leg out catching the monster off guard and knocking it onto it's wide hind quarters. She popped back up and pulled out her phone, but the gray slimy beast was on its webbed feet just as quickly and snarled as it knocked the phone from her hand. In an instant it wrapped her in a vice grip with just one arm and with the other it scooped up Sam's limp form. Faith cried out for help and kicked with all her might, but it was all useless as the beast drug them both towards the icy waters of the river.

* * *

 _Disclaimer & Writers Notes: _I do not own nor do I have rights to Supernatural or any of it's characters. Faith on the other hand is all mine.

Thank you for reading! Hope you are having a great week! Let me know you're thoughts.

xoxo, Jen


	6. Ch 6 - Spill or Break

**Chapter 6 - Spill or Break**

Dean heard the front door click shut around 7am and had rolled over in an attempt to go back to sleep. However his mind couldn't stop replaying each moment with Faith. He had no idea how he would walk away this time. At precisely 7:58 he gave up and made his way downstairs for coffee which, of course, reminded him of her. He caught himself staring at the first step and growled as he rolled his eyes, "I'm like a lovesick dog." He went back upstairs for a shower and came back down expecting Faith and Sam to be waiting in the kitchen, but the cabin was awkwardly silent. Glancing at his watch he saw 8:33. His first instinct was that something may be wrong but he pushed it aside and sat down on the couch. "Who thought it was a good idea to not put in a tv," he grumbled. Two minutes later he looked at his phone and saw 8:35. He forced himself to relax and grabbed the newspaper from the coffee table. 8:47 and still nothing. He stood, straightened his black shirt and jeans, and walked toward the front door. He gave in and dialed Sam's latest phone number. When the call went straight to voicemail his level of concern rose. Looking out the front door he dialed the one phone number he knew better than his own, Faith. The call went straight to voicemail. Weighing his options he went up to his room, put on boots and a plaid shirt, and tucked his gun in the waistband of his jeans at his back. He hoped they were just in an area with no service but he knew the odds were not in his favor. So he grabbed his coat and hit the pavement at a quick pace. He dialed the two numbers back to back with his heart rate picking up as each time it clicked to voicemail. "Sam, if you get this call me back." "Faith, it's Dean." He ran a rough hand across his mouth, "Call me." He picked up his pace and rounded the corner hitting the trailhead that ran parallel to the river. A cyclist passed with headphones and didn't hear him calling out.

An hour later Dean had covered the length of the trail and was walking back towards the trailhead when the sun glinted off an object beneath a large bush just off the pavement. Scooping it up he immediately recognized Faith's phone and clinched his fists, "Son of a bitch." He looked around hurriedly and found enormous webbed footprints on the other side of the thick shrubbery leading into the river. Looking up and down the river he saw no sign of Faith or Sam. His heart was racing, but his anger forced his mind to focus on the next logical step. He knew he needed to move quickly. He couldn't miss anymore clues or waste anymore time on a useless search.

::::::

Dean burst into the ranger's office on the north end of the park and stomped across the solid floor to where Ranger Dave sat at his desk. He looked tall and menacing in his denim and plaid causing the ranger to give a nearly audible gulp as he looked way up to meet the cold stare.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Jones?"

Dean wasted no time in getting to the point, "Ms. Garron and my brother have been taken. We need to organize a search party right now."

Ranger Dave took a deep breath, "Well, now, we can't just whip out a search and rescue mission. Got to follow procedure. How long have they been missing?" He pulled out a sheet of paper and his pen preparing to take notes.

Dean ran a hand across his face and blew out a sharp breath as he turned his back on the ranger, "They went for a run this morning and never came back. I tried calling both of their numbers and it went straight to voicemail. So, I went looking for them and found this." He turned around and held up Faith's smashed cell phone.

"I see." The ranger placed the pen on the desk and looked up at Dean. "They probably just got distracted by all the scenery. I'm sure they'll be back soon. You should..."

Bracing his hands on the front of Ranger Dave's desk he leveled his menacing green eyed gaze at the startled brown eyed, floppy haired young man. "We don't have time for this."

"I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do until they've been missing for more than 24 hours."

"I don't have time for this bullshit. You better freaking call in some backup right now or so help me I will kick your ass!" His face was blistering red and his voice was raised several notches causing the meek mannered ranger to cower in his chair.

"I can't." Dave released in whisper.

Dean's face changed to stone as he realized there was something else at play. There would be no reason for the ranger to deny him a search party for Faith Garron since she was a key player for an entirely new revenue source for the park, as well as the region. Faith would be the one person out of all the guests in the park that he should want to make sure is safe, happy, and comfortable. She held the possible economic future of Chadron in her hands. So, the question was why would he not want to rescue her. "What aren't you telling me?"

Ranger Dave's entire demeanor changed. He went from slightly afraid of the man standing before him to completely terrified in an instant. "Nothing. There's nothing to tell...I just...I can't...there's…procedures...and."

Dean pulled the gun from behind his back, reached across the desk, and yanked Ranger Dave by the collar until he was lying halfway across the disheveled desk. His voice was dangerously deep, "You've got two choices here, you spill it or I will break you. So, you better start talking cause nobody messes with my brother and my girl."

Dave threw his hands in the air in a show of surrender as a tear slipped down his cheek, "I...I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Cause he'll kill my family."

Dean loosened his grip on the man's collar and let the gun slide down a few inches, "What?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Ranger Dave wiped the tears away and sat up in his desk chair.

"Try me."

Ranger Dave Waters described a huge gray muscular beast with a horse shaped face, jagged teeth, webbed feet and hands, and razor sharp claws. It approached him and threatened to eat his wife and newborn baby girl if he didn't provide it a guest once a month. So, he had been covering up the disappearances in the park for months now.

"And how do you get him the next meal?"

"I...uh...I meet him down by the river on the west side of the park and give him a cabin number and a description."

Dean's anger flared, "You gave it mine and Faith's cabin, didn't you?" He asked already knowing the answer. "You just didn't know my brother was with us." The young ranger looked rightfully ashamed and absolutely terrified. "You're going to set up a meeting with that thing."

"What?! No! No! He'll suspect! I can't…"

Dean slid the gun into it's place at his back and slowly walked around the desk and leaned over to brace his hands on the armrests of the ranger's chair placing him inches from Dave Water's face. "If you don't help me people are going to continue to die." He was completely out of sympathy. "And you'll be first. Now get your shit together and set the meeting."

::::::

Faith's teeth chattered harshly as she fought to keep herself still. Sam's head rested heavily in her lap and she wiped the soaking locks away from his eyes wishing again that he would wake up.

* * *

 _Disclaimer and Writers Notes:_ I do not nor do I have the rights to Supernatural or any of it's characters. Faith on the other hand is all mine.

Thank you so much for reading! Special update...getting two chapters this week. Enjoy!

xoxo,Jen


	7. Ch 7 - Dinner Is Two

**Chapter 7 - Dinner is Two**

The acrid smell of blood and cooked meat permeated the small room causing Faith to continually force the contents of her stomach to stay put. Cold metal bars pressed against her back in the small cage that was barely enough room for herself let alone Sam's tall body. He was still unconscious from the hit earlier that morning and laid unmoving in a heap beside her. His breathing was shallow and she knew he had taken a lot of water in his lungs during their freezing trip downstream. Faith shivered as the cold settled deeper into her bones. She and Sam both were soaked through and the room was chilled with the morning air. She chanced a look around the room hoping that the beast's black eyes wouldn't land on her again. They were in what she assumed was a hunting cabin; small wooden frame, dirt floors, broken cot in the corner, a blood stained table with one chair, and a black wood burning stove with a single large pot on top. The ominous presence standing at the stove with it's back to her took up the majority of the room.

Sam stirred and coughed up another ounce of water pulling her attention back to him. "You okay?" She whispered running a hand across his shoulder.

"Yeah." His eyes fluttered open. "What happened?"

Without a word she pointed to the thing across the room. Sam's gaze followed her directions causing his eyes to narrow in an attempt to focus. "What is it?"

The gray monster turned on it's heels and looked at Sam. With a deep snarling voice it answered, "I am Wihwin."

Faith flinched at the gurgling sound deep in the beast's chest that accompanied the terrifying voice. Sam pushed up with his hands to move to a sitting position, but was rewarded with another thud to his skull when his head hit the low bars of their enclosure. He groaned with the impact. Faith swallowed hard against the rising tide of fear and tore her gaze away from the creature. She put a hand on Sam's arm encouraging him to lie back down. The cage was longer than it was tall so he was left with little choice and settled himself back into his original position.

The Wihwin, as it had claimed to be, startled them with an unexpected stride towards the door and a hasty exit. Faith exhaled audibly and glanced down to Sam who had his eyes pinched closed and a shaky hand running through his soggy tresses. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Just dizzy." His body betrayed him and he shivered causing his empty stomach to growl.

"And cold and hungry." Faith said in a hushed voice. "Have you ever seen one of these things before?"

"No, but I've read about it."

Faith felt a small surge of relief. If Sam had heard of it then he probably knew of a way to defeat it. She rubbed her hands together blowing warm breath into them attempting to generate a measure of warmth. "And?"

"And it's a water spirit from Central America. Kind of like the Scottish kelpie or the Irish each-uisce. This one, however, is supposed to live in the ocean during the winter and roam the mountains during the warmer season."

Faith nodded as she mentally went through the information she had read the night before on water creatures. "Kind of a long way from the ocean...and Central America. I wonder what it's doing here?"

"I don't know. I mean, they can live a really long time so it may have just wandered up here over the years." Sam's voice was weak and he coughed again causing his whole body to shake.

The door slammed open bouncing off the cage and the beast strode back to the stove across the room and tossed wood in the small fire. It was an odd sight to watch a large beast performing such a human task.

There was no doubt as to what the Wihwin was doing...meal preparation. Faith knew there was nothing to lose and it might even buy Dean some time, that is, if he woke up soon enough, figured out they were missing, and somehow managed to find their remote location that even she wasn't sure of. "What are you doing here?" It didn't answer. She threw a note of Dean's anger in her voice, "Hey! I'm talking to you." She raised her voice with far more courage than she felt, "what the hell are you doing here?" It turned and snarled at her. She raised her chin and glared back but with instant regret. It moved so quickly across the room and wrapped webbed claws around the bars over her head that she barely had time to register the motion. The warm sickly sweet breath blew across her face and she turned away gagging.

A watery rattle started in his chest before the words reached the mouth. "Easier prey."

Sam was forcing his eyes to focus just as a long strand of saliva dripped from its open mouth landing on his forehead. His eyes closed instinctively and he swiped at the sticky substance. Faith's face was turned away so she didn't see the creature tear at the lock and swing open the cage door directly to her right. In an instant she was being dragged away. She fought to grip the bars but her strength was no match for the Wihwin. Sam pushed himself out of the small enclosure and stood to his full height on unsteady legs just as the beast chained a fighting Faith to the chair. Swinging around the monster caught Sam across the face knocking him to the pressed dirt. Faith watched helplessly as the creature hovered over him seeming to patiently wait for him to rise and fight back. She pulled against her restraint and called out, "Sam!"

He coughed and breathlessly answered as he pushed off the dirt floor, "I'm ok."

"Not for long." The deep voice responded.

"Screw you." He answered determinedly. Rising quickly Sam landed a punch directly into the slippery gray abdomen. He was sorely disappointed when the response was a claw swiping across his right arm and chest throwing him across the room and slamming into the wall beside the door. Faith involuntarily screamed, "SAM!" Blood seeped from the fresh wounds and this time he didn't stir as quickly.

"Get up." The gurgling voice was a bit higher with what could only be interpreted as a note of humor.

Sam's head throbbed, his breathing was labored, and the gash across his arm and chest burned fiercely. His eyes refused to focus, but he knew he had to try once more.

"Stop!" Faith's heart pounded as she addressed the creature. "Please...just stop." She attempted to appeal to its emotions if it even had any.

It ignored her and wrapped a hand around Sam's neck pulling him up to eye level. The eyes were white with tiny green irises one instant and jet black in the next blink. Sam struggled to breath as the webbed hand lifted him a few inches off the ground cutting off his airway and holding him there. He fought against the slippery flesh with his hands while the toe of his tennis shoes sought purchase on the dirt floor.

Faith yelled the only thing she thought might give the creature pause, "There's someone looking for us!"

It turned with Sam still wrapped tightly in its grasp and cocked it's head at her, "They all say that."

Sam continued to fight for air, but Faith focused all her anger and attention, "He won't stop until he finds us." Her tone was deadly serious as she let it sink into her soul that Dean would come. A furious calm settled into her eyes, "You better leave while you still have the chance."

A rumbled snarling laugh escaped through the razor sharp teeth as he strode back to the cage and tossed Sam in like a ragdoll. From the center of the room Faith could hear Sam's head crack on the bars. He lay deathly still as the Wihwin locked the cage once more.

* * *

 _Disclaimer and Writers Notes:_ I do not own nor do I have rights to Supernatural or any of its characters. Faith on the other hand is all mine.

This week's second chapter is due to the fact that there will probably not be electricity in my house next week. My family and I are in the path of this oncoming hurricane. We'll be leaving the area tomorrow to get out of harms way. Prayers and good vibes appreciated for everyone in the path and for those still recovering in the wake of hurricane Harvey.

Hope you are enjoying the story! Things are moving a lot quicker now. Stay with me...bigger things to come! Special thanks to dreamsnake and beachwishen for the reviews!

xoxo, Jen


	8. Ch 8 - No Greater Love

**Chapter 8 - No Greater Love**

Nervously Ranger Dave tied the dingy white cloth to the tree branch protruding awkwardly over the river. He glanced around and stepped back from the bank as if looking for the creature to appear automatically. Dean rolled his eyes when the ranger made eye contact with him and shrugged. "Friggin' genius," he whispered harshly as he pointed to the nearby location that had been specified as the meeting spot. Dean was tucked away in a line of greenery that provided him a view of the river bank and the meeting spot. A large tree blocked his view of the path, but he believed it wouldn't hinder his plan.

Dean had never been the patient type and today was no exception. However, he knew this was his one and only plan. Sam and Faith's lives were on the line and if he charged ahead now he might lose this opportunity along with his brother and the woman he cared for. He could almost hear Sam's voice in his mind as he checked his watch once more, "Just one more minute." The seconds ticked by like minutes, minutes like hours, hours like days and still the trees stood in peaceful silence. Birds sang, the river played a melody, and the wind hummed along through the leaves. The landscape was serene, but Dean's mind was roaring. He was angry at himself for losing focus on the hunt, losing track of his brother, and losing control of his emotions with Faith. He mentally kicked himself over and over as his thoughts grew louder and louder.

::::::

Squeezing her eyes tightly shut Faith struggled to maintain control of the rising panic. Dean would come. She knew he would come, but would he be in time. Sam lay on his back unconscious in the cage. She followed the steady rhythm of his shallow breathing only interrupted by the occasional cough and knew that he needed medical attention quickly. The blood from the wounds across his arm and chest had soaked into his ripped sweatshirt and shades of purple and blue were appearing on his pale face and neck. Faith pulled against the layer of chains around her once more, but with the same result. She wasn't going anywhere.

The creature had added a measure of water to the pot and then stood watching Faith for a moment. She chanced a brief glance in its direction and found the black eyed gaze securely latched onto her. Her fear had overtaken her anger from earlier and now she sat in silence just listening to the gurgling breath of the beast. It was a strange moment when the Wihwin ventured into conversation, "You and your companion are old."

Faith was caught so off guard that all she could do was stare at him open mouthed for a moment before replying, "What?"

"I like my prey younger. But you," He gestured towards her and took a step closer to the table, "You will ruin my hunting ground."

Her eyebrows arched up and her heart stepped up a pace as she realized what it was saying, "How do you know that?"

A laugh escaped through the snarling teeth, "I know far more than you could ever understand." He strode around the table and placed a webbed hand on her neck. The skin felt dryer, almost flaky. She turned her face away as he leaned close to her ear and the warm breath played across her cheek, "I will eat your organs first, your heart and your brains. Then, I will peel the meat away from your bones and cook it." Faith flinched as he punched the emphasis on the last two words. She was sure he could feel her pulse thundering through the arteries in her neck.

Without another word he let go of her throat and left the cabin. Faith coughed and attempted to pull in oxygen, but was rewarded with lungs full of the putrid air. She gagged harshly and forced herself to swallow it down knowing she had to keep herself pulled together for as long as she possibly could.

Faith took a determined breath and cleared her mind. She was a logical thinker and now was the time to process all the information she had at hand, draw conclusions, and make decisions. It wasn't that she believed she could effect change at this moment, but following this process was her comfort zone. She analyzed the beast's physical attributes noting first that the skin had dried out and it was probably going for a swim to rehydrate. Besides the terrifying physique she remembered the eyes. There was something oddly familiar about the jet black eyes. She then thought through every interaction drawing conclusions: picky eater, very old, smart, possibly has an accomplice, heartless and evil. Heartless and evil combined with jet black eyes sent her mind straight to demons, but she didn't even know if it was possible for a creature to be possessed. Looking back through the sporadic memories she retained from Dean she couldn't find a similar situation. She let her mind continue with its task and her heart rate continued to even out. She knew there would be no way she could escape on her own and one look at Sam proved he was in no condition to make another attempt. They would have to hold out for a rescue mission.

::::::

He looked at his watch for what must have been the hundredth time: 2pm. Dean's patience, which was already a limited resource, was wearing exceptionally thin. Each second could mean life or death. He shifted onto his knees and was about to rise from his hiding place when the river produced an extra splash. Rising from the moving waters was a gray silvery beast. With each step it grew taller and taller. Dean's eyes grew wide as the realization that the sheer size and mass of the creature could have easily overpowered Sam if it caught him off guard. He watched as it stalked across the distance to the meeting place. Ranger Dave, who already seemed so small of a man, shrank even further towards the ground as the towering creature came to a stop before him. Dean was close enough to hear the beast's voice gurgle and rumble, "What do you want?"

"There's a…a...uh…" Dean gripped the handle of his blade tighter knowing that at any moment the ranger could give up his location.

The creature took a step closer, "What!"

Ranger Dave glanced in Dean's direction and then continued, "That girl and her companion….there was another person with them that I didn't know about."

"I don't care."

"But he's a…." he paused as if trying to remember the exact word Dean had given him.

"He's a what?" The beast rumbled impatiently as it shifted its weight forward dripping water onto the ranger's face and shirtfront.

"He's a hunter."

The creature let out a low grumbling roar. "Idiot." Swinging a large webbed hand it caught the ranger unawares and knocked him several feet away. Abruptly it turned and rushed furiously towards the river. Dean watched Dave Waters for a moment making sure he was still alive then moved quickly staying behind the cover of brush and followed the rise and fall of the creature as it swam down river.

Half an hour later Dean was still keeping pace. Tracking the creature was more difficult as the ridgeline rose and fell along the bank, but he could still see the occasional gray skin arch in the shallow waters. The creature walked on all fours out of the river and moved up the bank rising to its full height. Dean ducked behind a small stand of trees hoping that his movements had not been caught by the black eyes. He pressed his back to the rough bark, took a slow quiet breath, and held his position with the silver blade at the ready. A moment passed and he chanced a look from his hiding place. The riverbank was vacant and a small worn path led to a stand of trees and shrubs. He spotted the dilapidated cabin nestled in the overgrowth and felt a mixture of apprehension and relief. He hoped Sam was correct in his assumption that silver was the answer because if not they were all three going to be dinner.

::::::

Faith jumped as the door flew open and the creature stormed in with a growl. Her heart pounded against her ribcage as it leaned over the cage where Sam lay, "Time for a to-go meal."

Before Faith could stop herself she shouted, "Leave him alone!" and in a moment of absolute bravery she set aside all her fears and steeled her features, "Come and get me, asshole."

The Wihwin took one look in her direction and made its decision. With a singular motion it swept across the room, unlocked her chains, and held her at teeth level by the throat.

The seconds slowed to minutes as Faith fought against the slick gray flesh trying to pull up in the grasp to catch one more breath of air before her life ended. She had no desire to die, but she knew that Sam and Dean's lives were far more valuable to the survival of the world than her own. If she could buy Dean one more moment to step through that door and save Sam's life then her sacrifice would not be in vain.

Her watch ticked to the next second and she thought about the life she had lead with its joys and heartbreaks. Her mind retraced the moment she met these two remarkable men and how her entire world had been turned on end. She remembered the days of being linked with Dean's mind and in this breathless moment she missed him terribly.

Another second ticked by and her vision grew cloudy. Her hands were still gripping the gigantic wrists of the beast, but were slowly losing feeling as her oxygen supply depleted. She thought of Dean's laugh, his smile, his temper, his voice, and her heart skipped a beat. She realized in that split second that although his life was difficult and often heartbreaking he had smiled and laughed with her. His memories proved that those two things were truly a rare occurrence. She felt incredibly lucky to have known such an amazing man and that she had been able to bring a measure of happiness to his extraordinary life.

One more second and she felt a sharp tearing pain across her right shoulder. Her mind pushed aside the situation and focused on Dean's love for Sam. It was a bond she envied and wholeheartedly supported. Resolving her decision of sacrifice, she gave in to the gray that was pushing at the edges of her field of vision.

Neither Faith nor the Wihwin noticed Dean as he stepped through the open door behind the beast.

"Hey, asshole!"

Releasing its prey the Wihwin turned on its heels and hunched down to raise claws and growl at Dean. Faith collapsed to the ground coughing as oxygen filled her lungs. She forced her eyes to focus around the monster and took in Dean's furious appearance. Without a moment's hesitation he fired three rounds into the beast's chest but with no results. It laughed and moved another step closer. Dean gritted his teeth and drew the silver knife, "Worth a shot."

Faith reached for the water bottle attached to her waist and found it missing. She searched the room and saw the small purple container resting just outside of Sam's enclosure right beside the beasts left webbed foot. She kept her body pressed close to the ground and hoped against hope that she would not be seen. If her assumption about the creature's identity was correct then the water bottle would be their only defense. Her luck ran out when Dean was knocked across the room before his knife could make a significant impression and she became the center of attention. She had just slipped her hand around the bottle when she was pulled back across the floor catching a mouthful of dirt and rocks. She cried out as claws dug into her calf and she was thrown into the air only to be caught against the back wall by the large hand.

Dean was pulling himself upright when the beast roared out, "Enough!" The creature looked back over his massive shoulder at Dean, "I will tear her apart before your eyes."

Faith pushed up with her toes and earned enough purchase on the dirt to horsley call out, "The water…" She pointed to the purple bottle beside the cage where Sam's body still lay unmoving. Dean took one look and dove for the container. The creature looked on with absolute confusion. Sprawled across the floor Dean popped the lid and tossed half the contents onto the beast. It's skin sizzled and burned causing a tortured scream to erupt. Dean sloshed the remaining water out of the container along with a rosary and cross as the Wihwin let go of Faith and turned to run for the door. Dean was on his feet in a blink digging his silver blade into the gray flesh and sliding it around the rib cage. The creature pushed Dean's shoulders throwing him on top of the cage and disappeared through the open door.

Dean looked down between the bars, "Sam?"

* * *

 _Disclaimer & Writers Notes: _I do not own nor do I have rights to Supernatural or any of its characters. Faith, on the other hand, is all mine.

Thank you for sticking with this story! My family and I fared well during the storm. We were without power for a few days, but thankfully no damage.

Again, thanks for reading! The reviews are greatly appreciated as well!

xoxo, Jen


	9. Ch 9 - Few Words

**Chapter 9 - Few Words**

Sam lay motionless inside the cage with only the small rise and fall of his chest proving there was still life. Dean had just broken the lock and was attempting to pull his brother out by his feet while Faith looked on helplessly.

"Come on Sammy, wake up. I can't carry your ass outta here."

Faith dialed 911 again on Dean's phone, but still couldn't get a call through. "How far is the car?"

"Too far." Dean grunted as he hauled his big little brother through the narrow opening.

A moan escaped Sam's lips followed by a horse cough and his eyelashes fluttered against pale skin as Dean patted his pace, "Sam?"

Faith chanced a look through the half open door to make sure their captor was truly gone and turned back to look at Sam's glazed over expression. After two hits to the head in less than 8 hours she was absolutely positive he had a concussion. She was also sure that at least one of the gashes across his chest would need a few stitches.

Dean put an arm under Sam's back. "Can you stand?"

"Maybe." Came the low breathy reply.

Faith moved to help him get Sam off the floor and upright. She was very little use being only 5'6 but she was another shoulder and arm around his waist. Dean carried the bulk of Sam's frame and the three shuffled through the front door and into the wide open woods.

"Not a lot of cover like this. We need to hurry." Dean nodded towards the river and the trio stumbled forward to move along the bank.

Sam attempted to carry himself upright, but his movements were uncoordinated and clumsy. Occasionally he would take a steadying breath or let out a grunt as he tried to focus on each movement forward and ignore the gray and spinning world around him. The pain in his chest and throat forced him to cough once in awhile throwing the trio off balance.

Faith mentally set goals for each step along the way to make the journey more manageable. Four steps to the rock, six more steps to the large tree, two more steps to the fallen limb. Her last meal had been the night before and the day's ordeal had left her shaky. She didn't notice her own pain as she focused on each step careful to maintain pace with the two long strides beside her.

Dean kept quiet except to warn Sam of a hazardous step. He was angry that his brother was injured, he was frustrated that the monster had escaped, and he was shaken by the fact that he had almost been too late. Seeing Faith dying in the grasp of the beast had pushed him to his emotional limits. So, he kept quiet, pushed forward, and told himself he would deal with the emotional mess later knowing that if he had his way it would never be dealt with.

::::::

A mile later when Sam insisted on a rest, Faith dialed for emergency services again and was rewarded by a polite female voice. "911...what is your emergency?"

Faith hadn't actually thought of an excuse for Sam's injuries and so for a moment she froze and looked at Sam's slouched form sitting on a rock. "Uh...my friend's been injured. We're in Chadron State Park by the river."

"What's the nature of your friend's injuries?"

Thinking fast she lied, "He fell off of a ledge into the river and we've been walking through the woods trying to find some reception."

"What's your location?"

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A few hours later found Faith sitting on the edge of a hospital bed in the ER at Chadron Community Hospital being stitched up. In the mayhem she hadn't noticed the deep cut across the skin over her right shoulder blade. She had also somehow managed to ignore the incredibly sore throat and bruising around her neck from the multiple chokeholds she had endured. She was still wearing the white tank, blue shorts, and tennis shoes from earlier that day, but every stitch of cloth and patch of skin was covered in grime. Her hair was a tangled mess and she could still smell the acrid scent of the cabin on her clothes. She swallowed hard at the knot forming in her throat and forced herself to maintain control of her emotions by prioritizing the remainder of her day: check on Sam, take a shower, find food...or maybe find food then take a shower.

Dean stepped through the door as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut against the renewed onslaught of emotions that came with attempting to make one simple decision. His heart squeezed in his chest as he realized just how much she had been through that day and how little she had spoken. She hadn't complained or argued. She had simply shouldered Sam right along with him and gotten them out of harm's way. If he hadn't known already, today was just more proof that she was a truly remarkable woman. He was holding his breath as he watched the doctor tie the last stitch.

Her eyes slid open to meet his and he released the breath. Looking in her face he knew she needed a moment to fall apart, but that she wasn't going to let herself now. "How's Sam?" Her voice was quiet and raspy.

"He's okay. They've got him cleaned up and in a room already." He took a step into the room. "He's got the good drugs. So, he'll be a regular sleeping beauty tonight."

"Good. Can I go up and see him?" She slid carefully from the bed and her shoes squeaked on the white tile. He took her forearm when she looked as though she would fall over.

"Let's get you something to eat first."

She looked him directly in the eyes with a pleading expression, "No, I...uh...I really need to see him. I just want to see that he's okay." Her face looked white against the purple and blue around her throat.

He contemplated denying her and insisting she take care of herself first, but the look in her eyes forced him to agree. "Okay, sure."

With a protective and steadying arm around her waist he led her up a floor to room 215 where Sam lay quietly in the midst of beeps and whirs.

Faith swallowed harshly at the tears threatening to spill over and went to Sam's side. She placed a trembling hand on his arm and just stood.

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7:02pm. Dean looked away from his watch and back at the bathroom door where Faith had disappeared nearly thirty minutes before. He glanced around the bedroom she had been occupying noting the abundance of polished hardwood that matched his own just down the hall. The quilt on the bed was the only difference with a bright floral pattern and a pile of matching pillows propped against the headboard. He continued to look over the room picking out different details to study all in an effort to ignore the pressure building in his chest. He didn't want to think about Faith and Sam almost dying. He didn't want to think about his brother lying in a hospital bed. He didn't want to think about Faith's stitches and bruises. He didn't want to think about how it was all his fault and that they could have both lost their lives because of his carelessness. So, he didn't think about it. He just let it build.

The door clicked open and Dean stood from the bed unclenching his first and wiping his sweaty palms on the worn denim covering his thighs. Faith stepped through the door, a cloud of steam following her, wearing ripped light wash jeans and a loose fitting gray v-neck t-shirt. She was towel drying her damp curls and padding across the carpet in bare feet towards her suitcase. His throat went dry and his eyebrows shot up.

"You alright?" She whispered when she caught his expression.

Dean schooled his features and swallowed, "Uh, yeah. I'm good." He paused a moment while she fished socks out of her bag. "You?"

"I'm okay." She said somewhat convincingly.

"Still packing enough for a village, I see." He was referencing back to their first meeting when Faith had brought out the same suitcase and put it in the trunk of the Impala.

She smiled enjoying the memory of his mind sending her the smartass comment and her reply being a vision of her getting car sick after riding in the backseat. "Absolutely."

She put on the socks and went back towards the bathroom.

"You about ready? We need to get out of here." Since the beast had their location, Dean didn't want to keep them in harm's way for any longer than necessary.

"Yeah, just gotta finish my hair."

A moment later she stepped out with her hair in it's usual curly mass around her face, looped a teal scarf around her neck, slipped on the white Keds by the door and grabbed her blue knapsack. "Ready." Her voice was unusually quiet from the damage done earlier in the day. Dean could clearly see that she was upset about it, but wasn't going to push. She would talk when she was ready. He wasn't even sure he would ever be ready for that conversation.

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They sat quietly across the table at a small diner, Helen's Pancake & Steak House. The dining room was warm and humid from the kitchen running at full steam causing Faith's arms to stick to the plastic covered table. She was slightly envious of Dean's plaid at the moment. His forearms rested on the edge of the table with his phone in his hands keeping his skin from touching the sticky surface. She placed her hands in her lap and looked down to trace the brown pattern in the equally brown plastic. The entire room was a shade of brown and Faith wasn't sure if it was actually the color or if her mood was sucking the color out of everything. Looking at Dean's shirt assured her that the room was brown because the shades of woven blue plaid popped against his tan skin. Their food arrived and still neither one spoke. Faith could feel his gaze boring into her occasionally, but she knew him well enough to know that he didn't want to talk about the emotional trauma. She knew he would be somehow finding a way to blame himself despite the fact that he had absolutely nothing to do with her and Sam's capture. She found herself missing the openness they had shared. She pushed the food around on her plate, barely eating despite the hunger. Swallowing a small bite of soft pancake was a chore and simply not worth the effort. The rush of adrenaline earlier in the day had faded long ago and her eyelids were growing heavy.

Dean watch her push the bites of food around on her plate. There weren't a whole lot of things in the world that could kill his appetite, but watching Faith struggle to eat was heartbreaking. Dean Winchester was not a man that could tolerate being helpless, but at this moment he would have to deal with it. Guilt washed anew over him as he let the silence wear on.

After they both stomached what they could of their meals, they headed back to the hospital. Staying at the cabin overnight would put them right back in the middle of danger and Dean wasn't about to let that happen. He had decided they would stay the night at the hospital and then get a room at a local motel until Sam was released. Faith had not been up to discussing it and just nodded in agreement. She knew he'd want to send her home at the first crack of light, but she already had plans to refuse. She wasn't leaving until she knew Sam was better.

Faith went to his bedside the moment they stepped into the room. For such a tall man he looked so small and vulnerable. She wasn't sure if that was her way of seeing it or Dean's memories of their childhood giving her that impression. Either way she felt a tightness in her chest watching him there. She glanced back catching Dean's tight expressing and knew he was feeling the same. Her attention turned back to Sam when a monitor started beeping. She put a hand on his forehead and felt heat radiating from his pale skin. Glancing at the monitors she read the few things she understood: heart rate fine, temperature 102, oxygen 80. "Get a nurse, now."

Dean's face took a panicked expression as he turned for the door and was met by a middle aged man in a white coat with the name, Dr. Thompson, stitched onto the chest pocket. He breezed by making his way directly to Sam's side. Faith and Dean instinctively stood back as he began his examination.

"I'm Doctor Thompson, Sam's physician. You must be…"

"I'm his brother, Dean."

The doctor looked up to meet Faith's concerned face. Her voice was raspy and raw, "I'm Faith Garron. Just a friend."

Dr. Thompson pressed the call button and waited for the nurse to pick up, "I need O2 in room 215 stat. Order up a chest x-ray as well, please. And let's have levofloxacin on standby as well."

"Yes sir." Came the reply over the speaker.

* * *

 _Disclaimer and Writers Notes:_ I do not own nor do I have rights to Supernatural or any of it's characters. Faith, on the other hand, is all mine.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Only a few chapters left and still a lot more action, drama, romance, and maybe even a few smartass one liners from our favorite brothers. So, stick with me!

Thank you so much for reading! I love to hear feedback so please review.

xoxo, Jen


	10. Ch 10 - No Such Luck

**Chapter 10 - No Such Luck**

The nurse had just placed a cannula under Sam's nose while the doctor jotted notes in his chart. "I can't be certain until we get the results back, but I'm fairly confident that your brother has pneumonia in addition to his other injuries."

"What?" Dean's eyebrows shot up and Faith could practically feel the anger and frustration rolling off of him.

"It can incubate for up to ten days before symptoms present."

Faith looked up at Dean standing to her left. Her voice was hushed. "He has been coughing a lot over the last day or so."

"Great." Dean ran a rough hand over his face as the doctor began to make his exit.

"We'll take good care of him." Doctor Thompson patted his shoulder. "I'm here all night. Call the nurse if you need anything and she'll page me."

He disappeared through the door leaving Dean to lean heavy on the back of the plastic covered hospital recliner. Instinctively Faith rubbed a hand across his back and came to rest her head gently on his shoulder.

It was as if the barrier broke between them for a brief moment as Dean gave voice to the troubles in his mind. "You guys get kidnapped, I nearly kill the ranger, you almost die, the monster got away, and now this." He raised his chin a notch and gestured toward Sam. "And here I am bitching and you're the one who's been through hell today! Can't get a freaking thing right on this one."

She nodded and put her hand gently on his cheek, "Don't beat yourself up. None of this is on you."

"I should've seen Sam was sick. I should've…"

"Nope. None, and I mean none of this is on you. So save it, Winchester." She whispered firmly and followed it with a small smile.

Dean couldn't help but feel a measure of the tension release within his chest as he pulled her in for a tight hug. They would get through this like they did before...together.

::::::

Sam's x-ray came back an hour and a half later with a confirmed case of pneumonia. The doctor told Dean it was not overly severe and assured him that the antibiotics would have him well quickly. The major concern was the head trauma. "He needs rest. Hopefully the swelling will go down over night and we'll have a clearer picture of his condition in the morning."

Faith had slipped into pajamas and attempted to stay awake for the results, but ultimately sleep won out. Dean slid an arm under her knees and behind her back easily lifting her from the recliner and moved her across the room to the pullout couch. Dean returned to Sam's bedside and sat in the chair with his elbows resting on his knees. Folding his hands and looking heavenward he whispered intently "Cass? Where are ya man?" He paused waiting for the swooshing of wings and heard none. "Sam's sick, Faith's beat up, and I've got a monster to hunt." He swallowed hard holding back the emotional torrent threatening to overrun the barrier he so readily used to shield himself from the outside world. "I could really use some backup here." The room was silent except for the steady pumping of oxygen and ticking of the monitor.

Dean pushed against the anger and frustration and stayed with his head bowed and hands clasped on the edge of the bed for far longer than he realized. Faith tossing in the crisp sheets woke him. He glanced at his watch, 2:36am.

::::::

Faith's nightmare held her captive. The explosive combination of her memories, Dean's memories, and the days trauma swirled in a disconnected rhythm through her dreams. She could feel the terror rising as each horrible thing gave way to the next in a never ending cycle. In each scenario there was no means of escape, no way to survive. She could see the surface of consciousness and could not attain it. She felt strong arms slide around her and instinctively knew he was there. Her mind quieted as she felt the warmth of his embrace. She was safe, she was sheltered, she was home.

Dean pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her temple and she immediately curled into him. Her lean frame fit perfectly to his body and he heaved a sigh of relief as her nearness momentarily melted his anger away.

::::::

The sun peaked through the slatted blinds of the window above her head. Faith squinted against the offending light. Dean lay on her right with an arm slung around her waist. She studied his features noting the lines of constant tension and worry gone in the peacefulness of sleep. Watching him there she captured the memory and held it close knowing that on lonely nights to come this would be the thing that brought her peace. When his nightmares racked her nights she would remember this. Gently she placed a cool hand on his cheek enjoying the feel of the stubble on his jaw. His long dark lashes parted revealing the emerald eyes once again stealing her breath away. A smile played at the corner of his lips as his eyes made contact with hers. She knew this man almost as well as he knew himself and understood that this sweet, peaceful moment would soon give way to the anger bubbling beneath the surface from the night before. He glanced towards the bed where Sam lay and just as she suspected, the lines of tension etched themselves into his features.

::::::

A few moments later Dean was lacing up his boots, "I'll be back later."

Faith sat on the edge of the pull out bed adjusting the mass of curls into a bun, "I'm going with you." She said, her voice still raspy.

"No you're not, Faith. This thing is big, it's strong, and it's freakin' possessed."

"Yeah, I'm the one who told you." She said a bit louder after taking another sip of water. "You don't need to do this without backup, Dean."

"I'd send you home, but I know you won't go. So, you can back me up by keeping an eye on Sam. Doc says some of the swelling's gone down, but he's not out of the woods. They're keeping him sedated…"

"And that means he doesn't need me today." Faith had walked across to the bathroom door and closed it before Dean could get off a good retort.

He huffed and rolled his eyes. "I'm not doing this with you." He said over his shoulder as he adjusted his jeans over the top of his boots. "You're not going."

"Don't pull that shit with me, Dean Winchester." She called from the other side of the door. "You don't need to go alone and you at least need a plan before you…" She paused for a moment realizing what he had probably done. "You're already gone, aren't you." She tilted her head back and closed her eyes. "I'm gonna kick your ass." She whispered to herself because Dean had slipped out the door and disappeared down the hall.

::::::

His phone rang as he slid into the driver's seat. He knew exactly who it was and exactly what she had to say. So, he sent her to voicemail. As he turned the key in the ignition a text message came through, 'You better check in regularly or I'm coming to find you.' A smile pulled at the corner of his lips as he typed out a reply, but when he put the phone down the harsh lines of anger mixed with determination settled in. He pulled out of the parking lot squealing tires on pavement.

::::::

The reply came through, 'I'll bring your stuff by later. Don't leave the hospital.' She put her phone down sharply and rolled her eyes, "Bossy." After taking a deep breath and resigning herself to her fate she went to Sam's bedside and looked over the monitors. He seemed to be doing alright. It was a little scary to know that he wouldn't be waking up today, but the doctor assured her that the "induced coma" would help the healing process.

She took his hand in her own and ran her fingers through his hair, "How about some coffee, Sammy?" She knew he probably could not hear her, but she wanted him to know she was there.

Stepping a bit closer to the bed her foot bumped into something pulling her attention away from Sam and to the floor. There sat his duffle bag gaping open with one of the leather bound journals that she readily recognized peaking out of the mess of plaid and denim. Internally she struggled with maintaining Sam's privacy and an incredible curiosity. She recognized the worn faded leather from Dean's memories as belonging to their mentor and pseudo-father, Bobby. Giving in to her curiosity she reached down and picked it up with a sort of reverence, "Hope you don't mind, Sam." The leather was soft and well worn and the pages tattered and creased.

Pulling the glasses from the side pocket of her bag she then curled into the blue armchair at Sam's bedside and started looking for information on demon possession of something other than a human. Certain pages brought on memories of hunts from Dean's past: wendigos, shifters, demons. She read for hours about demons and water creatures but never found anything tying the two together until late afternoon when she stumbled upon a brief note about a hunter named Garth who had called Bobby about a possessed creature. There were no details and only two sentences. She read and reread the brief lines and found nothing more than the fact that the call had taken place.

"Looks like I need to talk to Garth." She mumbled. Pulling the glasses from her nose she glanced towards the bedside table in search of Sam's cell. She stood, stretched and then took a step towards the table only to pause and contemplate the repercussions of her decision. In an instant she knew that if Sam were awake he would make the call himself. "Thanks, Sam. And I promise I won't look at any of your pictures." She said with a small smile.

Scrolling through the contacts she found the name she was looking for, Garth Fitzgerald. A mental image appeared of a tall thin man giving Dean a bear hug and she couldn't help but smile. Another memory played across her thoughts of the same thin fellow admitting to being a werewolf and being in love. She briefly sorted through the lingering emotional struggle that Dean had faced in choosing to spare Garth's life then dialed the number.

The phone rang twice before a thin wavering voice answered, "Hey Sam! What's going on?"

She hesitated a moment mentally preparing her words, "Hi Garth. My name's Faith Garron. I'm a friend of the Winchester's. I need your help."

A note of determination came over the line, "Anything for my boys."

::::::

His first stop was the old hunting shack where Faith and Sam had been held hostage. The smell was much worse than he remembered and it was all he could do not to throw up. Circling the small structure he looked for prints or a trail of some sort that would indicate where the creature had gone. However, he found no evidence besides the worn path down to the river and knew that most likely the beast would stick to the waterways. He wondered if the silver knife had done any damage, but since there was a demon involved he sincerely doubted it. He would have to locate the beast, expel the demon, and then kill what was left. It was a loose idea, but at least it was a plan of sorts. He could hear Sam now, "That's a terrible plan." At hearing his brother's voice in his mind his anger was renewed. He moved quickly to the tree line and followed the river back towards where he had parked the Impala just under a mile away.

His next stop was Ranger Dave's office. However, he was informed by the sign on the door that dear Ranger Dave had called in sick for the day. So, Dean made a call to the local sheriff's office for the ranger's home address. Since he was already out of Chadron he made his way down the highway towards Box Butte State Recreational Park where the previous victim had been taken. He spoke with the park ranger who was a nice enough fellow, but provided no new information. Dean left his fake FBI card with a good phone number in case the ranger spotted anything strange.

He was truly frustrated. Glancing at his watch he felt the day wasting away with no significant progress. The seconds ticked by and for a moment his gaze was glued to the watch face. Each hand moved pushing forward the time, never stopping, never going back, always moving forward. His mind retraced the recent months and he could vividly remember each second of his life ticking away. He remembered each second he had hunted, each second he had driven, each second he had researched, each second he had to much to drink, each second he had argued with Sam, each second of every sleepless night, and each and every second he had spent missing her. In this moment he wondered if living without her was worth the pain. He spent days, months even, thinking of her and wondering if she was okay. Maybe if he could keep in touch things would be different. Maybe he could focus on hunting better if he could talk to her or see her once in awhile. Maybe he could keep her hidden from all the terrible things that would want to hurt her because of her association with him. When the final thought crossed his mind he shoved it aside and forced his focus back to the situation at hand. He needed leads. He needed them fast. Throwing the sleek black car in drive he floored the gas pedal and headed for Ranger Dave's home address.

::::::

She dialed Dean's number for the third time with the same result, voicemail. She attempted to convince herself that he was in an area with no reception, nothing was wrong, and he would call back soon. She sent a text message this time, "IMPORTANT! Call as soon as you can!" He needed to know how to deal with this thing. She knew he would have a loose plan and if it was what she had thought of initially herself then he was about to be in whole lot of trouble.

She glanced at the clock on the wall. The day was fading quickly and someone needed to start on the list of instructions Garth had provided. Since Dean wasn't answering, Faith knew it was up to her. She grabbed the phone Dean had given her from the small table and called the only cab company in town. Her mental checklist ticked off the first item. Step two, she quickly changed back into the dark wash jeans and gray v-neck shirt from the night before and grabbed Dean's red plaid laying across the back of the chair. Step three, she tucked Bobby's journal safely inside her bag alongside the 9mm Smith and Wesson.

* * *

 _Disclaimer & Writers Notes: _I do not own nor do I have rights to Supernatural or any of it's characters. Faith, on the other hand, is all mine.

We're building to a brawl, so stay with me and catch the interesting twist in the next couple of chapters.

Hope you are having a good week! My apologies for not posting on Wednesday as I usually do...I pulled a 13 hour day and wrapped up about 1:30 this morning. Fall is a crazy time of year for my work.

Don't know about you guys but I'm so ready for Oct. 12th! Let me know your thoughts on this latest installment of Ounce of Patience and what you're most looking forward to starting lucky season 13! (Loved the "curly fries" line in the season 13 promo!)

xoxo, Jen


	11. Ch 11 - Blessings

**Chapter 11 - Blessings**

A long wait for a taxi and a long ride out to the cabin had at least given her the time she needed to solidify her plan. She dug around in Dean's belongings feeling only mildly guilty. She was beginning to worry that if he didn't have what she needed stashed in his bag then she would be adding a whole new set of items on her to do list. Her fingers brushed against the cold metal bringing a rush of relief. She produced a long silver bladed knife from the folds of a brown plaid shirt. Quickly she made her way back down the stairs and towards her car. Her heart pounded faster with each passing second. To a certain extent she knew it was irrational, but her fear was nearly overtaking her self control as she made a mad dash for the driver's seat.

::::::

The front door of the First Congregational Church of Chadron was unlocked so she gingerly pushed it open and poked her head through the gap. The auditorium was empty, but she could hear sounds coming from the hallway off to the left side of the pulpit. Pastor Middleton had been the only person to agree to see her today and perform the rituals. She knew she sounded crazy when she had called and asked each and every place of worship in town. Faith had a strong Christian upbringing and was no stranger to churches, but she was most definitely a stranger to asking a pastor or priest to bless a silver blade and her as well.

She closed the door behind her with a solid thud and slowly made her way down the center aisle. The old fashioned wooden pews were covered with a burgundy fabric highlighted by the quickly fading sunlight dancing through the stained glass window behind the pulpit. She thought back through her childhood and could almost hear the hymns echoing through the empty room. Footsteps sounded louder in the hallway as she approached pulling her back to the present. A tall heavy set middle aged man appeared around the corner before she could step into the hallway, "Hello! I'm Pastor Middleton." His dark mustache danced along with his jubilant voice which automatically brought a smile to her lips.

Faith took the hand offered her. "Hi pastor, I'm Faith Garron. Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me."

"Absolutely! Anything I can do to help our community. Now what is this for exactly?"

Faith looked up to meet his gaze and knew that she wouldn't be able to bring herself to lie to him. Her tone grew serious, "I'm not sure if you're going to believe me, but I'll tell you the absolute truth."

He led her down the hall and into an office. In the span of a few minutes she related the story of the beast, it's demonic characteristics, and the method in which she had been instructed to destroy it. The expression on the pastor's face was one of complete shock, but to her amazement he still agreed to help.

She pulled the blade from the shoulder bag she carried and laid it across the desk reverently.

"And you want me to pour holy water on it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Is there a specific prayer you'd like me to say?"

She retrieved Bobby's journal and flipped to the page she had inserted beside the notes about Garth's call. "Actually, there is." She handed it across the desk to him. "Here."

Looking over the page briefly he then gathered the few supplies he would need and began the prayer.

"Santissimus Dominus noster, et nos beneficia rogo et obsecro tuam. Herbis solvere posse concedo quod obscurum malum terram proiecit."

As he softly uttered the words he poured a vial of holy water over the blade and then wrapped the handle with a thin silver chain bearing a crucifix.

Placing the blade in Faith's hand he draped the remainder of the chain around her wrist resting the cross atop the back of her hand. Faith held completely still bracing herself for whatever might happen. She squeezed her eyes shut and focused on each word Pastor Middleton uttered, "Benedicite servi indignus hoc tuum: qui id gerit hoc ferrum sanctificaverunt, ut vincere hostes tenebris. Hoc nos orare in nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti. Amen."

The small office stood in absolute silence for what felt like an eternity. When Faith finally opened her eyes she saw the pastor staring at her with a raised eyebrow and a look of confusion. "Were you expecting something?"

She glanced around the room just to be sure before she answered him, "I've learned you can never be certain what will happen with these things."

::::::

She checked her phone again on the way out the front doors of the church. Dean still hadn't returned a single call or text message in over 9 hours.

Climbing into her blue Chevy Cruz she carefully placed the bag of priceless resources in the passenger seat and fired up the small turbo engine. The sun was beginning to duck behind the small town landscape causing Faith's heart rate to pick up.

Following through with her next step was going to be tricky. Deception was not her forte. Especially if being caught meant federal prison. She took a deep breath steeling her nerves and her resolve and dialed the number for the sheriff's department. One ring and the deputy answered.

"This is Special Agent Gibbs." She spouted in her most professional voice, "I'm looking for one of my agents that hasn't checked in recently. Have you heard from him?" She specifically avoided giving a name knowing that Dean could have chosen any one of a dozen of his aliases.

"Oh yeah, he called earlier. He was looking for Ranger Dave Waters' home address. You want me to give it to ya?"

"That would be very helpful. Thank you."

A minute later with address in hand she made her way to the tiny house in an outlying neighborhood only to find the driveway devoid of a specific black 67 Chevy Impala. Pulling to the curb she swallowed hard in an attempt to stem the rising tide of panic. The sun had set and with nightfall came an entirely new level of desperation to find him before something terrible happened. Although it had been more than seven months since he walked away and only a few days that they had been reunited she couldn't imagine a world without Dean Winchester. In fact, she wondered if there would even be a world without him. His life served a bigger purpose. The world demanded his life and she longed to deny the entire world. However, now was not the time to despair over unfulfilled desires. It was her turn to save him.

She picked up her phone and dialed the number to the nurses station on the second floor of the hospital. The nurse reported no visitors to room 215 and the patient in stable condition. Faith ended the call and started to exit her car when the understanding of her situation momentarily overwhelmed her bringing tears to her eyes. Her breath caught in her throat and she forced herself to keep it together for a while longer. She could fall apart later. Now, focus on the next step.

A single light glowed in the front window of the Waters' residence as Faith approached the front door. A shadow moved across the room causing her controlled demeanor to momentarily shiver. She pulled the plaid tighter around her shoulders soaking in the comfort of something that belonged to Dean. Forcing her chin up a notch she raised a hand and rapped her knuckles on the front door of the tiny house. A moment passed in silence. She knocked again with a bit more force, "Mrs. Waters?" Waiting another moment she knocked again, "Mrs. Waters, please. I know you're there." She tried to sound more forceful than pleading, but at this hour she knew she was beginning to fail. To her relief the door cracked open to reveal a short round faced young lady with a baby snuggled in her arms. "Mrs. Waters?"

"I'm sorry. I can't help you." Her voice shook and she looked frightened as she started to close the door. Faith put a hand to stop it.

"Yes, you can." Faith took a deep breath trying to sound as gentle as possible. "Where did they go?"

"I'm not supposed to talk to anyone. I'm not even supposed to answer the door!" She looked almost frantic.

"It's going to be alright, but I need you to tell me where your husband and the other man went." She pressed. Seeing her resolve begin to falter she continued, "Their lives depend on it."

Giving in she looked towards the floor, "They...they wouldn't say, but I'm pretty sure they're at the old fur trade museum."

"Thank you. Thank you." Faith sighed audibly. "Now go inside, make sure all the doors and windows are locked, and turn the floodlights on around the house. Okay?"

Faith waited for her to nod before she turned and ran back to her car. Breathlessly she started the engine and tore off down the street. The drive back across town took more than ten minutes and she judiciously used the time to reign in her emotions. She rehearsed lessons from her self defense classes, devised an appropriate search pattern for the museum, and thought through the multiple scenarios she might be walking into. She forced back the panic level and mentally focused on each step she would need to take. Freaking out was on the very bottom of the list.

* * *

 _Disclaimer and Writer's Notes:_ I do not own nor do I have rights to Supernatural or any of it's characters. Faith, on the other hand, is all mine.

Thank you so much for reading! Hope you guys are having a great week!

Special thanks to Beachwishen, Dreamsnake, and bellaphone for the reviews! You guys are awesome!

xoxo, Jen


	12. Ch 12 - Showdown

**Chapter 12 - Showdown**

The flashlight beam swept across the hallway revealing another wall of black and white photos with occasional objects displayed in shadow cases. Faith took another tentative step down the narrow passage barely noticing the displays and focusing on the path ahead. She looked back over her shoulder briefly while keeping her back close to the wall. The small flashlight attached to the end of her 9mm lit a fairly wide field which gave her a small measure of comfort. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears and every drop of moisture had left her mouth. She coached herself to continue breathing and focus on the plan.

Stepping into the next room she found more displays, but no Dean. There were no other vehicles in the parking lot so there was a possibility that he wasn't even in the building, but it was her only lead. She was nearly through the museum and about to reach the back room with the secret door that lead out to the river. She had been lucky enough to find an unlocked bathroom window and sneak in. It was her mission to avoid entering through the back door since there was a very real possibility that the creature could use that same door at any moment.

The sound of a distant voice broke through the thundering in her ears causing her to freeze mid stride. Instinctively she turned the flashlight off and walked to the opposite side of the room. The hallway leading to the back room was extremely dark. The faint glow of red from the back room bounced into the hall from the doorway farther down on the left. Another mumble from the distant voice let her know that she had still not been detected. Gripping the handle of her blessed silver blade she moved silently down the hall. Her nerves were on edge, but she forced herself to remember her training with deep breaths and laser focus on the one task at hand. Reaching the end of the hall she chanced a look around the doorway and into the last room. The displays on the left were dark and the wall on the right looked like a soft blanket in the dim red light. Faith's gaze was immediately drawn to the short figure standing beneath the red exit light on the far side of the room. It took a moment for her to register that another figure was lying facedown at his feet and it took every ounce of restraint to not audibly gasp or charge across the room once she realized Dean was the unmoving body. The ranger cursed at Dean's back and landed a small kick to his leg. When he didn't jump to defend himself Faith nearly moved into the room, but instead she pressed her back against the wall beside the doorframe and took a deep steadying breath. She could hear him mumbling to an unconscious Dean.

"If you'd have just stayed away this wouldn't have to happen. I tried to warn ya."

Her mind was running wildly and her adrenaline had kicked in, but she had to focus, analyze, and make some decisions. The end goal was to take out the monster. Dean's back had risen and fell, so he was alive. There was no pool of blood and she didn't smell gunpowder so he was probably just injured. She pushed it aside and moved to the next logical step. If the ranger was waiting then she would wait as well. The beast would come and she would have to be ready.

Before she could process any farther the fur wall parted and the Wihwin stepped into view. His already ominous size and appearance was only enhanced by the horrendous red lighting. She peeked around the door jam again hoping to find her opening before it was too late. She let the beast move farther into the room coming to stand near Dean's head with it's back to her. It was now or never. Fear threatened to paralyze her after she took the first step into the open doorway, but neither the creature nor the ranger noticed her bold move. She might just win this fight after all. She held the 9mm in her right hand and the silver blade in her left as she moved deeper into the room keeping herself hidden from the ranger behind the wide flanks of the monster. She was a step away from raising her knife when Ranger Dave acknowledged her presence. "Who are you?" His formerly friendly and energetic demeanor had been replaced with one of complete terror. His shoulders were pulled together and his chin tucked close to his chest as if to make himself look even smaller. The room stilled and time seemed to grind to a halt. Faith's lungs refused to take in oxygen. Her mind processed his voice knowing that this was the moment. The beast rounded on her swinging jagged claws through the air, but she was just out of reach. At the precise moment the beast's arm reached full extension she lunged forward digging the blade deep into the gray flesh at his side. A deafening shriek tore through the silence causing the ranger to jump back several feet. She pulled the blade away and began to step back and brace for her next approach, but she wasn't quite fast enough. A moment later she was flying through the air towards the fur covered wall. Her head hit with a thud jarring her teeth and knocking the air from her lungs. Stars stung in the corners of her vision, but she refused to be stopped. Pushing up from the ground she braced against the wall and looked towards her mark.

"Just stop!" The ranger's trembling voice echoed across the tile floor as he stepped between her and the beast. He waved a gun in her direction as if to show force, but he was not convincing.

Anger surged through her veins and she pushed away from the wall raising the gun level with Dave Waters' chest. "Get out of my way."

He was caught off guard by her menacing tone and turned to point the shaking gun barrel at her face, "Please don't do this. Just let him go. It's him or my family. You understand, don't you?"

It was the horrible moment of decision Faith had not wanted to face, but he made the decision for her. She refused to be stopped. Dean was her mission and she would succeed. Without hesitation she pulled the trigger landing a bullet in his shoulder. Ranger Dave went down hard with the gun flying out of his hand landing a foot away from his writhing form. "You shot me!" His voice was high pitched with shock and pain.

"Don't move or I'll do it again." Faith pulled her attention back to the beast that was moving slowly towards the fur covered door with Dean's limp body dangling from beneath it's arm. She raised the blade in her left hand and motioned towards the beast. "Don't!" She shouted. Her anger was turning back to fear as she realized the creature had the high ground. "Just put him down."

The creature slowed to a halt as more black goo oozed down it's side and pooled at it's massive feet. The terrifying voice hissed, "I have roamed for centuries feasting on humanity and YOU" he raised a hand away from his damaged side to make his point, "will not stop me today!"

A gravelly voice replied from the still form hanging from the massive gray arm, "Yeah, she will." Dean kicked into the leg of the beast causing it's knee-like joint to slightly buckle and it's grip to loosen. In a rush of his last remaining strength Dean pulled away and collapsed onto the ground a few feet away. Faith rushed the creature as it fought to regain it's balance and plunged the blade deep into the abdomen. Another cry escaped through the razor sharp teeth as she pulled the knife away. The creature began to hunch slightly giving Faith the access she needed to bury the silver blade to the hilt once more into the slick gray flesh. This time she hit her mark and pierced straight through the heart. Sparks of light coursed through the beast's body ending with a flash of light dying out in the black eyes returning them to green. Faith pulled out the knife and as if in slow motion the Wihwin collapsed in a slippery heap at her feet. Before she could let her mind process, she dropped the blade and crossed the room to Dean who was rubbing a hand to the back of his head and attempting to push himself off the floor. She extended a hand to help him up, "Are you okay?" Her heart was pounding and she wanted to wrap her arms around him, but the scowl on his face screamed that her reaction would be extremely unwelcome.

"I'm fine." He took her hand and stood. "Let's get this mess cleaned up before anyone gets here."

"What about me?" Ranger Dave squeaked from across the room.

Faith heaved a sigh and shrugged her shoulders and Dean answered, "You're gonna say there was a break in, you and the bad guy exchanged gunfire, you got hit, and he ran away. You'll be a freaking hero." Dean didn't even attempt to hide his disgust. He turned away slowly and gestured towards the growing black puddle. "Now let's get this shit cleaned up."

:::::::

They worked together in silence cleaning up the body and burning it. Faith smashed Ranger Dave's radio and phone forcing him to drive himself to the hospital giving them time to finish the job. Dean refused to elaborate on how his day had gone and, more specifically, how he had ended up on the floor of the Fur Trade Museum. In fact, besides the occasional instructions and mumbling under his breath, he hadn't spoken directly to Faith at all. They rode back to the hospital in separate vehicles. The Impala and the squad car both had been parked behind the building. Dean had stated he was going to check on Sam. She tried to convince him to see a doctor himself, but he refused. Then she tried to ask him to at least get cleaned up before going in the hospital, and he refused. Giving up she had thrown her hands in the air and was now following the sleek black car across the Byway. As she watched Dean's shadow in the driver's seat the trauma of the last few days finally began to catch up with her. The few short days with Sam and Dean had felt like weeks making it hard to remember her original purpose in coming to Chadron, Nebraska. Her mind refused to sort through the events in order and instead sent them in bursts of chaotic scenes; Sam lying unconscious, getting stitches, blood pooling, pulling the trigger, Dean on horseback, the beast breathing over her face, the one passionate kiss, running with Sam, plunging the knife. Nothing fit. Nothing made sense. Nothing except the shadow of a man riding in the car in front of her. She wiped harshly against the tears she hadn't realized were flowing down her cheeks. The Impala was turning into the hospital parking lot and Faith couldn't even remember the ride across town. She wasn't sure how much longer she could ignore the emotional torrent that threatened to overwhelm her, but she sure as hell knew that Dean wasn't in the mood to deal with it at this moment. So, she pushed it away once more and opened her car door.

::::::

She trailed after Dean as he stalked down the hall to Sam's room. The lines of anger were clearly written across his face as he found his brother still unconscious. He went to the nurses station and Faith didn't follow. She didn't want to have to listen to him demand answers when simply asking would get him the information he wanted. Sinking into the blue plastic chair she had vacated several hours before she leaned forward and placed her face in her hands. It was only a moment before Dean marched back into the room and she sat up with an audible sigh. "What did they say?"

"He's fine."

Looking away it took all her strength not to snap back at him. With another deep breath she pushed to her feet. "Okay. Well, I'm going to run back to the cabin and get a shower." She was done trying to convince him to do anything rational, but to her amazement he nodded and followed her out the door.

* * *

 _Disclaimer & Writers Notes: _I do not own nor do I have rights to Supernatural or any of its characters. Faith, on the other hand, is all mine.

It's hard to believe, but only one chapter left! This story has flown by for me. I really hope you've enjoyed it! Thank you for staying with me.

xoxo, Jen


	13. Ch 13 - In Other Words

**Chapter 13 - In Other Words**

The doctor's hadn't given Sam the sedatives keeping him in a medically induced coma in hours, but he still wasn't coming around. The swelling on his brain had gone down, he no longer needed oxygen, and the spots of pneumonia on his lungs were healing, but he still slept.

Faith and Dean had returned to the hospital in the early morning hours and stayed throughout the night. The next twenty four hours passed in near silence as they waited. Dean would pace the floor or sit by his brother and bow his head. Faith sat on the couch with a laptop occasionally making trips downstairs to the coffee cart.

She had avoided conversation the entire day partly because she didn't want to break down and cry but mostly because Dean's expression screamed 'leave me alone'. Night began to fall and since neither one had eaten in nearly two days she broached the topic. Dean was leaning back in the chair glaring out the window over her head when she finally spoke, "I'm starving. Want me to go get us something to eat?"

His expression never wavered, "No."

"Are you sure? You haven't eaten in awhile and…"

"I said, I'm fine." He snapped as he looked directly at her, but didn't really see her. His lips were drawn in a thin line as he turned his eyes back to Sam. He mumbled something else under his breath just low enough for Faith to miss the words and yet still grasp the meaning, "Don't mother me."

Faith had kept quiet. She hadn't complained about the lack of food, the lack of human interaction, or the lack of gratitude. Snapping at her for offering dinner, however, pushed a particular button that she didn't know was ready to be set off. All the pent up emotions of the week turned to anger.

"Can you just stop with all this attitude and bitching!" She spouted angrily as she rose from her seat. "You didn't make your brother catch pneumonia, shit happens. You didn't make the Wihwin capture us, you rescued us. You specifically didn't make me come rescue your ass, but I sure as hell did. And instead of getting gratitude I get smartass comments and your shit attitude. So, just shove it Dean! Shove it right up your ass and quit bitching at me. Cause god knows that when Sam wakes up and I can at least tell him goodbye I'll leave you be. I'll get hundreds of miles away and not bother you any more since that seems to be exactly what you want." She had completely lost her temper. Her face was three shades of red and he could practically see the heat rolling off of her in waves. "So, you can just stop with the awkwardness and shit! You're not stuck with me. I'm gonna leave." Her voice faded out.

He had pushed too far and found her breaking point. It made him angry. Angry at himself, but he wasn't about to back down from this fight. He stood and took a step in her direction. "If I hadn't been so damned focused on you then maybe I'd have seen Sam was in trouble! And I didn't need you to save me!"

She rounded on him furiously, "Don't you dare blame this on me! I tried to stay out of your way and let you work..."

"Yeah, you've acted like I've got the freaking plague! I can't read your mind so I'm left guessing!"

"That's not my fault! All you gotta do is ask! But noooo!" She threw her hands in the air with a mocking voice, "I'm Dean Winchester. I'm too damn manly to communicate!" She dropped her arms back to her side and glared at him accusingly, "Heaven forbid you actually tell me what's going on in your head!" In a brief moment of clarity she wondered how the argument had strayed so far from her original intent. His retort, however, brought her back to the current line of discussion.

"Yea, now we're really getting somewhere." He threw his hands in the air and rolled his eyes which thoroughly infuriated her.

"You're an asshole, you know that! I avoided you because I know that I can't get attached. I know you're leaving. I know you've got a freaking job do to. So don't put it on me that I've 'acted like you've got the freaking plague.' It's not like you've been making the moves my direction either." She turned her back realizing that her shade of red was now from a touch of embarrassment, but she wasn't ready to back down either.

Dean's anger however was renewed, "Whatever, Faith! I tried to get close to you the first night we were back together and you shut me down! So, I've played nice." He strode across the room to stand behind her.

"That's not fair, Dean." She turned to find him standing right in front of her. His nearness and the heated debate had pushed her emotions to the breaking point forcing the pent up tears to finally fall down her cheek. "That's just not fair." She pushed against his chest hoping to create space between them and tried to walk away, but he caught her hands on his chest. Their eyes locked and the heat in that moment vibrated between them.

His voice was a whisper when he finally spoke, "I'm sorry."

The tears fell fresh and she leaned in to be taken into his embrace. "Me too."

A small humorless laugh escaped his lips, "You've got nothing to be sorry for."

She pulled her head from beneath his chin and looked up to meet his green eyes, "I have been avoiding you, but it's just…"

"You don't have to explain. I get it. This life…" He shrugged, "It doesn't leave room for...relationships."

Hearing the words out loud brought a lump into her throat and she put her head back onto his solid chest and squeezed her eyes shut against the emotional struggle. She forced herself to outwardly acknowledge him, but inside she buried his words in the back of her mind. "I know." She paused as she let her thoughts formulate an intelligible sentence, "I don't want to put you at risk. So, I'll go…" Her voice trailed off.

He took her by the shoulders and pulled her away so that he could look directly into her face, "Faith...wait. You know I don't want to let you go...but I don't have a choice. I wish I could talk to you...see you, but it's just not safe. And it's really not fair to you because..." His voice faltered as he took in her expression.

Faith stood speechless. A million thoughts swirling through her mind. Dean read her silence for what his fear had been yelling at him from day one. "It's dangerous and I can't do that to you. You deserve that normal life we saw in Hathor's garden and I wouldn't ever be able to give you that. I'm a hunter which means you'd be in danger no matter where…"

She cut him off as her thoughts settled, "I don't care."

"It doesn't matter...you can't…"

She cut him off once again. "I don't care. I don't want that normal life. I don't think I could survive it. I just want you, Dean."

He shook his head in response, but she spoke again before he could deny her. "I want to hear your voice and know you're okay. I want to see you when we end up in the same place or if you're passing through south Georgia. I want to fix you a meal and wash your clothes and patch you up if you need it. I don't have to have you every day, but I want you whenever I can get you. I'll play second to this life...just so long as it means that you come back to me when you can."

Dean's raised eyebrows and parted lips gave an expression of pure shock and absolute denial. She wasn't asking him to stop hunting. She wasn't asking him to turn his back on his brother. She wasn't asking him to change his lifestyle. She was asking for the only thing he could ever offer her.

"You can't mean that." He tried to deny in his heart what his ears had heard.

"Every word." She whispered. Slipping a hand behind his neck she pulled him down to place a gentle kiss on his lips. A gentle kiss did not satisfy the ignition of his desire and in an instant he swept her into his arms lifting her to her toes and deepened the kiss. His tongue swept across her lips and she opened. Their surroundings were completely black as they released pent up desires. Faith threw herself into the moment without reserve. She ran both of her hands beneath his shirt relishing the feel of the skin across his back. Dean pressed the kiss even deeper and pulled her close with a hand on her neck and the other sliding from her back, to her hip and down her thigh. A shiver ran through her as his hand pulled her knee up to rest at his hip and their bodies pushed closer together.

"Finally." A weak voice cut through the passion shocking Faith enough to jump away and press the back of her hand to her burning lips. She could still feel the searing kiss. Dean grinned widely at her realizing that Sam had woken to find them wrapped in each other's arms.

::::::

Maybe it could work. Maybe he could keep her separate from the monsters that sought to destroy him. Maybe they could carve out a small part of this messed up world and keep it all to themselves. Maybe… Dean turned the thoughts over and over in his mind as he lay next to her on the pullout bed in Sam's hospital room. Tomorrow the hunter's life would pull he and Sam away again just as the real world would pull Faith back to her life.

He turned from his thoughts as Faith rolled over and slipped an arm around his waist. Pressing a kiss to her forehead he nestled closer relishing the steady rhythm of her presence beside him. For now he would take the moment for what it was...a moment of peace.

Neither one knew when they would meet again, but they rested in the hope that there would be another day.

THE END

* * *

 _Disclaimer and Writers Notes:_ I do not own nor do I have rights to Supernatural or any of it's characters. Faith, on the other hand, is all mine.

Thank you so much, beautiful readers! Thank you for sticking with me! Hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the overall story as well as this last chapter.

I'll also share a secret...the third (and most likely final) story in this series is already in the works. Not gonna lie, it's got an epic start...I'm pretty excited to share it! However, it may be a little while before I can get it up since work is absolutely crazy this time of year. So, stay tuned, follow, favorite, or check back and I'll get it out as soon as I can.

Love ya'll, Jen


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